Judi Simonsen Ziobro reports good health, enjoyment at their bay house with grands, singing and playing handbells in church choir, and keeping in touch with Judy Jensen Burgess, Judy Bailey Allison, Betty Wright, Matile “Teal” West Hugo and spouses.
Beth Davis Teletski’s grandchildren range in age from preschool to college graduate. She and Lou plan fishing trips in Montana and Germany. Beth continues quilting activities.
Judy Hammond Blatchford reports they went on National Geographic Expeditions to Belize and Guatemala and produced photo albums to enjoy in their later years.
Penny Misirian Mardoian’s oldest grandson graduated from Trinity College. Travels this year take Penny to Israel and Armenia.
Lynn MacDonough Morrow attended George’s family celebrations in Winnipeg and his 50th class reunion at Dickinson College.
Elizabeth Appel Bailey and Tom cruised from Prague to Budapest. Oldest granddaughter (14) made the National Water Polo Team. Betty and Tom are helping to plan a midterm reunion in San Diego for the USNA class of ’61.
Teal West Hugo’s husband Mike went to Baltimore and D.C. on Honor Flight Maine and was met by Judi Simonsen Ziobro. Tom received honors for service in the Marine Corps and on the staff of the Appropriations Committee in the House of Representatives.
Liz Decker Rogers and family traveled to Australia where daughter-in-law Deepa reports for The World on NPR. Liz says, “Otherwise, same issues on the table, when to make the big move and where.”
Barbara Arthur Pretzsch heads to Portland, OR for her crochet conference in July. She organized a line dancing cruise for Hood friends Linda Martin McManus, Gail Wood Fortin and Marvia Slade Perreault. Marvia enjoys life at the 55+ Mallard Landing Community in Salisbury, MD. She is having left shoulder replacement surgery.
Doris Dalziel Kimball and George’s daughter Marian suffers with blood cancer and needs a stem cell replacement. You are in our prayers.
Phoebe Adams Marshall plays tennis and sings with the Masterworks Chorale at the U of SC-Aiken. Her granddaughter just graduated from high school in Charleston and traveled with her mother to Japan and Korea.
Barbara Kirby Stewart says they appreciated their break from the Maine winter when, courtesy of Jan Zwinck Morrison, they stayed in a New Bern, SC condo and visited Jan and Steve at their beautiful home in Raleigh. Jan and Steve spend their summers in Maine. Their daughter Cheryl served as lead scientist on a NOAA research cruise off our southern coast.
Sarah Enos Karpowitz lives in Wisconsin, works for Rent-a-Daughter as caregiver, has been widowed 33 years, has five grandchildren, 9 – 20. She enjoys bible study, friends and family.
Jody Merritt Watson and Peter “live life in the slower lane and enjoy it!” Jody volunteers at a homeless shelter in Brunswick, enjoys quilting and yoga. She saw Nancy Turner Heckscher and Ben recently.
Gail Dawson Clarke reports from Florida: “nothing earth-shaking going on …sometimes I value that as much as the whoop-de-do-moments. I’m still vertical, planning on trips out west.”
Liz Kovacs Washburn lives in Lake Oswego, OR and visits children and grandchildren in San Diego. Daughter Natasha will teach at Santa Fe Christian where one granddaughter just graduated. Another granddaughter graduated from Boston U.
Sue Shinnick Hossfeld and Carl travel this summer to Luebeck, Hamburg and Berlin, Germany, where they board a river boat to Prague. On return, their family will visit Rehoboth Beach for annual week of fun.
Ann Holmes Flatt recovers from stem cell bone marrow transplant to treat Acute Myeloid Leukemia. She thanks her supporters including hubby Jean-Pierre, her team at UMass Hospital, friends and family. Now Ann resumes hiking, singing and gardening, and traveling with family to Switzerland.
Marjorie Simmons Carlson and Bill celebrated their 55th anniversary. As a retiree from 37 years as ‘library lady’ she volunteers with the school’s book fair and enjoys 11 grandchildren in DC.
Regina Schlank Pyle escapes wintry Boston by visiting friends in Marco Island, FL and Phoenix, AZ. In DC, she checked out the Newseum and recommends it. Both grandchildren graduated from college this year.
Caroline Fischer Giles and Brian enjoyed a month in Tarpon Springs, FL staying at Joy Engle Demas and Bill’s villa. Caroline and Brian volunteer less now and are considering CCRCs in the U of New Hampshire area.
Sara (Sally) Zimmerman- I volunteer for the U South Florida Osher Life Long Learning Institute as instructor and board member and am having the time of my life. Thank you to classmates who contributed to this column. See unedited version online.

Judith Hammond BlatchfordMy family and I continue in good health allowing Park and me to continue traveling a few times a year. Most recently we had a beautiful trip to Greenland and the arctic areas of eastern Canada followed by two weeks in Tuscany, a nice contrast in extraordinary history and art appreciation.” With great sadness I learned recently that Sandra Warren Owens’ husband, Bruce, passed away on September 20th after a heroic struggle. You may possibly hear more from her.

Susan Shinnick Hossfeld

Carl and I are beginning to travel again after a recent knee replacement, with two trips out west in the winter of 2018. One trip is with the International Rotary Ski group and one with the children and grandchildren to Snowmass, Colorado. After the Rotary Ski Trip we plan to continue our travels to Santa Fe. In the Summer we are taking an Elbe River Cruise which leaves from Berlin and ends in Prague with stops along the way in Meissen, Dresden and Wittenberg. Before the trip we plan to extend our visit to Luebeck and extra time in Berlin. Sometime in the near future, we hope to go to New Orleans which is on our bucket list. Carl and I both enjoy catching up on everyone’s news!

Rusty Papst Hougland

Last January and February Bill and I enjoyed a great ocean front condo on Amelia Island, Florida. During the summer we welcomed children and grandchildren to our old farm house in Connecticut.

Penny Misirian Mardoian

This summer I hosted the Blatchford’s, Bollman’s, Hecksher’s and Hossfeld’s at my South Bristol, ME home for 3 days. The weather was fabulous. We visited a local boat builder, a historic ice house, the Pemaquid Lighthouse peninsula and the Coastal Botanic Gardens in Boothbay.

Phoebe Adams Marshall

I’m still playing tennis, singing in Masterworks Chorale and our church choir. Am also on the Vestry at church. Hope all is well with you.

Barbie Reeves McGee

This past year has been has been a year of loss for me. Last December my brother who was my only sibling passed away at age 63. Then in June of 2017, we lost our Afghan Hound suddenly. The worst loss was that of my husband of 46 years in July. Larry had health issues for the past two years but his passing was not expected. I try to keep busy including teaching two days a week but it has been a struggle for me. I have had a lot of support which I am grateful for. A new chapter of my life begins. Hope all is well with you.

Martha Atkinson Meadows

I taught my last class at Hood last spring and am still adjusting to less planned days. My grand-daughter, Corryn, has transferred to Hood-a third generation Hoodlum! I traveled to Normandy, France on a Hood alum tour with my two daughters.

Linda MacDonough Morrow

George and I spent a week in Crested Butte, CO to attend his son’s wedding. What an honor that George was Mac’s Best Man! With the extra time in the mountains, we enjoyed 4 days of hiking when the aspens were at their most spectacular sunshine color in September. Wedding day was the only one without sun…..but photos of the bridesmaids walking under white umbrellas in the SNOW were unique and the views of snow-capped mountains on Sunday’s hike were only possible due to the wedding day precipitation. The bride rolled with it and never lost her cool–showed off her cowboy boots under her wedding gown as her acknowledgement to function over fashion.

Beth Davis Pauley

Lou and I just returned from a riverboat cruise up the Rhine River. We are season ticket holders for Drexel Women’s basketball games. We attended the Navy vs Tulane game at the Academy. In two weeks we go to Virginia Tech for a football game. Ulia, my granddaughter, will graduate from Virginia Wesleyan in May; Rachel, my granddaughter, is looking at colleges for next year as is Lou’s grandson, John. Life is good.

Joan Terpak Plitt

I am retired from the newspaper I worked for, but I still have several businesses going. I have been an antique dealer and also a Mary Kay consultant for the past 30 years. Presently, I attend numerous classes at the York campus of Penn State University. These are OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) classes that cover a broad range of subjects. I highly recommend them if our classmates live in an area where they are offered. As part of our June visit to Myrtle Beach (SC), we met Phoebe Adams Marshall and Al near Charleston and they were gracious enough to show us around some of the islands and areas where they previously lived. We had a great time and try to get together with them every summer. We are great-grandparents to Jacob who will be 2 in December.

Barbara Arthur Pretzsch

I still line dance, and attend several exercise groups and a crochet group. We have added a dog to our menagerie. Evie belonged to the owner of a house we bought to renovate who couldn’t take her with her.

Sandy Owens

Here is my sad news. My husband of 35 years, Bruce, passed away on September 20th at Emory Hospital in Decatur, Georgia. He had suffered from lung and heart issues for several years. I’m still getting my life back together with the help of family and friends near and far.

Regina Schlank Pyle

Having sold my home in France last winter, I delighted in spending the summer in Boston. At the end of September, I left on a 7 day road trip with my pal, Monica, and her large dog Francesca, an Italian Spinone, in the back seat. Destination Phoenix, where Monica was born and now moving back to escape Boston’s cold winters. 2,690 miles were travelled in the most direct route because sightseeing with Francesca was not an option but we gained an appreciation for the vastness of the country, the thousands of trucks that transport our everyday needs and the friendliness of those we met along the way.

Elizabeth Decker Rogers

Great trip to see a close friend in Chattanooga during Oct. What a happening city! Great public art, nice galleries, museum, fine repurposing of old buildings, worth the effort & lovely old house of all sizes. Warm weather so leaves were still green. Plan a trip to India in Dec with son Matt, his wife Deepa, whose family is originally from India but now live in Australia, my 2 grands & Deepa’s family. Keeping my fingers crossed that no medical issues pop up. Thanksgiving will be with family, not sure where yet.

Helen Hill Rountree

I am retiring at year end, long since stopped taking wilderness trips. I’m selling the apartment Asa and I shared for nineteen deeply happy years; renovating a pied a terre in the same building, including a to-the-studs demolition of the 1928 (!) bathroom. In August, I bought a wee Cape on .12 acres in my home town. We call it Grafton Manor; my 2002 Subaru, Bentley, graces its very short driveway. It is walking distance to my family’s place, where I will continue to battle fruitlessly the five entrenched invasive vines. I will also do some writing, mostly on race, in my view, our nation’s greatest sin and one too many of us continue obdurate about. If I can, I will work with little boys who are struggling to read.

To my pleased surprise, this year my book was republished after 35 (!) years. It demonstrated that, theory to the contrary, capital flowed from productive sectors to financial centers. Sound familiar? It’s now one in a set on economic history for libraries around the world. (My younger colleagues were more impressed that this doddering old woman had a letter published in Rolling Stone.) I have been very lucky, had extraordinary, unimagined, professional opportunities, worked with men and women of intellect, wit, and grace. Google lists 298,000 citations for my name; if you put it in quotes, it plummets to 1,200. Much more appropriate.

To me, political issues are too real for real people for me not to be ever-active. The most intense and most fun, in 2007, I collected an email group of 800 women from all over the country to work for the election of Barack Obama. On NY Primary Day, February, 2008, I stood in intermittent rain for twelve hours for a last chance to affect people’s votes. It nearly did me in. You take your joy where you can find it. You have to. With all, I grieve for what will be lost if Homo sap. doesn’t swiftly reverse his heedless race to self-immolation. Who will there be to thrill to Shakespeare, Leonardo, Bernini, the great acts of kindness and courage of people throughout history who struggled to make the world better?

My grandson is 6’3”, thin as a rail, a history buff, and terrifyingly knowledgeable about professional sports. My two daughters are good women, journalists, one managing editor of a global finance weekly, the other an investigative reporter and producer with This American Life. My brother, CA, 62, who has Down Syndrome, thrives, to the happy amazement of his cardiologist. He will share his Star Wars obsession with anyone willing to sit still. Hearing the Bee Gee’s Saturday Night Fever music, he is instantly on his feet, John Travolta to a T. It’s a good life.

Barbara Kirby Stewart

Paul and I are still enjoying life in our special part of Maine. We did, we think, our last cross country road trip last summer to Sonoma for grandson Zachary graduation from Sonoma State Univ.; and the to San Diego for granddaughter Meghan’s high school graduation. Along the way I crossed a few more things off my bucket list – Devil’s Tower, the Huntington Library, Kings Canyon and Sequoia NP. Back in Maine continued on with volunteer activities, quilting, rug hooking, gardening, tai chi and more walking now than hiking. I still celebrate birthdays with Janet Zwinck Morrison who summers in Milbridge.

Elizabeth Kovacs Washburn

Sadly Guil’s stepmother (gorgeous blonde) died recently (in her 90′s). We got a new dog. (Our Josie had died in Jan.) New dog a sweet Papillon/Cavalier mix, a “pavilion” named Ginger.

Jody Merritt Watson

We are escaping with our son and family to Quebec for the Thanksgiving weekend, since they don’t celebrate at the same time we do.

Pamela Roberts Welham

In June, Betsy George Ohnegian and I stayed with Janet McDougall in her newly renovated apartment (beautifully done!) for a mini-55th reunion in New York City. Betsy and Janet had planned a wonderful few days for us along with ample time to talk and reminisce. We saw “Come From Away” and loved it all- the staging, songs, and message about a small town in Canada that welcomed stranded travelers after the 9/11 attack. We went to an evening concert in Central Park at the Naumberg Bandshell- the weather was perfect and the music wonderful! A long walk in Central Park to the Conservatory Garden was followed by a delicious lunch at the cafe run by the church where Janet sings in several concerts during the year. My special request was to visit the MoMA. The exhibits and lunch didn’t disappoint. We probably had the best four days of weather in NYC of the summer which added to making this a memorable trip. Hard to believe that we all met as freshman living in Shriner Hall in the fall of 1958- 59 years ago.

Sally Zimmerman

In September I was back in Germany for the whole month, adding up to a total of four months or a third of the calendar year October to October 2016 – 2017. This time I worked with two Unitarian congregations — Hamburg and Luebeck — in a variety of ministerial roles that included giving an hour-long lecture in German in a 12th century building in Luebeck on the subject of R.W. Emerson’s Transcendentalism. Thank the professor-goddess Mary Elizabeth Osborn, Hood English teacher in 1958++, for teaching us how to write a good narrative. For the lecture in Luebeck, my source was Emerson’s journals which I find much more interesting and less ponderous than his essays. Dear Miss Osborn, you’ll never know how much I’ve grown to appreciate your wisdom! In Luebeck, I was out of my comfort zone with the German while quite secure with the organization of my comments. Since coming home in early October, I’ve resumed work with the University of South Florida OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) as a volunteer in multiple roles, including teaching and Board member. Lately I’m learning that it takes no effort to overcommit ones self, and no effort to gain back the five pounds that I somehow lost in Germany from climbing stairs and walking everywhere while eating unlimited amounts of great bread and delicious cheese.

Liz Decker Rogers: “Seems just like yesterday that the call went out but maybe it was 6, 9m ago? Anyway, had I been to Peru? It was fun & just enough of a challenge to let me know I am still alive & better than I thought. That was end of Nov ’16. Traveling with family which includes a resourceful, Spanish speaking D-I-L, is the best! Best news is the 6y home makeover is finally done, well except for a couple of little things. Next challenge is sorting all the stuff in the middle of the basement, covered by tarps. That could take more time! I am leaving that to the sons. They can do it now or later when I am in assisted living. I’m hoping to be around here for awhile to finally enjoy it, however. Underlying annoyance is neuropathy on the left quadrant of my head due to having had shingles last year. The shot is not full proof protection. It’s almost a year & I am thinking this will be with me forever as it doesn’t seem to be dissipating.I am anticipating a trip to Oregon to hopefully view the solar eclipse in August with the same son & family. Keep your ear out for my other D-I-L, Deepa Fernandes, a radio journalist, who has had informative pieces on NPR, BBC’s The World. Her focus has been Latin & South America. That’s it!”

Beth Pauley Teketski: “Lou and I are going on a Viking cruise down the Rhine River in June. We just returned from his high school reunion in Wilkes Barre, PA. We are making plans for fly fishing trips to West Virginia and New York. In the mean time I’m judging quilt shows in Lewis, DE, and Quakertown, PA.”

Margo Friedman Friedman: “I cannot believe it is 55 years since we gave each other graduation hugs. I am sorry not to be at the reunion, but will think of you all. We continue to delight in our CT children and grandchildren. Sid is still directing theatre at Boston University, but he and I have both retired from teaching. I am very busy with volunteering, clubs, and friends. I have been in touch by phone or mail with Linda Keyler White, Barbie Reeves McGee, Jane Stevenson Rule, Jean Lenhart Golden. Marty Robertson Williams visited us in Wellesley last August. We would welcome 1962 classmates, if you are in the Wellesley area.”

Teal West Hugo: “I never have any news, but this time I do have something. I led a hymn sing based on the life of Sojourner Truth for the Presbyterian Women of Northern New England last weekend (May 13). This was the biggest research project I have done since graduating from Hood! Mike is in nursing home care at the Veterans Home in Scarborough ME. His long term memory is amazing, and we share reminiscences about all sorts of topics from the good old days.”

Nancy Turner Heckscher- “In January The Blatchfords Judy Hammond and Park and the Heckschers Nancy and Ben drove to Baltimore to go Museum gazing and met Carl and Susan Shinnick Hossfeld for lunch. I often see Penny Mardoian as she comes down to see her son and family! I am completing (end of June) my 2nd and last year as Judging Rep. for The Garden Club of America. This has been a challenging job- really 5 jobs: placing, educating, recruiting, evaluating, keeping forms both digitally and in paper files. I love the people and most of the job but time to hand it over to someone else to perfect! I continue to play bridge and attend 2 garden club meeting’s and Park House Museum meetings and hook into my kids lives. Jon and Amanda have moved back from Hong Kong and are in Boston with their 3 girls. Kali is still in Maine with her athletic Tom and Kali. They are all going to Europe this summer. Katie (14) is on an exchange program. Ben’s Chris just had our newest grandchild in Hong Kong, Marcus. That makes 8 grands. David’s Alisa just finished her freshman year in Ohio. Everyone is healthy and doing their things. If in Phila. do come and visit. Judy Blatchford is next door!!”

Judy Hammond Blatchford: “I’m afraid I sound like a broken record. Park and I continue in good health as do our kids and grandchildren and so we are traveling while we can, in August to Greenland/Iceland for 3 weeks and in October to Tuscany/Venice for 2 weeks.”

Sunny Griffin: “Our biggest news is that we finally have our first grandchildren. My daughter, Kelly, had twins (at 44), Oliver and Mabel, and we are over the moon with happiness. Because we want to be able to see them we have sold our home in Thailand and are now living full time in Telluride, Colorado. On a sour note, I have to have a spinal fusion surgery so most of the summer will be spent on my back. After 8 brain surgeries, a crushed nose (from a fall) and pulverized neck (car accident) I am sick of surgery. Getting old is not for sissies!”

Penny Misirian Mardoian: “I had a wonderful week in London with my daughter-in-law’s mother. Not one drop of rain! My second grandson graduated from high school in West Chester, PA and will be going to Kutztown University in August. My oldest grandson is interning at Ernst and Young in Boston before he enters his senior year at Trinity in Hartford. I am in my Maine home for 5 months returning mid-October. Life is good!”

Jane Hoskins Bollman: “Art for me is still a big part of my life: painting, selling sporadically, teaching. I guess old school teachers (which I was eons ago in junior high school) never let teaching go. I don’t run marathons but I do exercise and do yoga at our wonderful YMCA, which is close enough that I walk there. Gardening is my other form of exercise. It wears us out, but the results are worth it. Children fine, no grandchildren. Don’t sing with the Met, but we love the simulcasts which we can also walk to. If you think you don’t like opera, you should try this at least once. Bridge and book clubs keep the old brain in reasonable shape. So, bottom line, we are good and not suffering from too many aches and pains at 77. Seventy seven? How can that be? Fond memories of Hood have not faded even after all these years. We are looking forward to the reunion, certain to be fun.”

Lynn MacDonough Morrow: “Traveled in May to southern Germany to visit a cousin of George’s. It was my first time hiking in the Black Forest. Then to France for a couple of days in Paris before we joined G’s younger daughter (a grad student in Paris) for a trip to Normandy to visit Mt. Saint Michel, Juno Beach, etc. Just five days back home and we drove to NYC to stay with another cousin while we spent time with G’s older daughter and son-in-law in town for Fleet Week concerts with their Navy Band Northeast. Had my first trip to Ellis Island–quite an experience. Hood Reunion weekend will wrap up for me with visits to my two daughters and their families in Baltimore and near Harrisburg on our way home to State College, PA.”

Phoebe Adams Marshall: “I did not go to the reunion this year. Hope to get to the 60th, if possible. I keep busy playing tennis three or four times a week. I also sing in a Masterworks Chorale at the U. of SC – Aiken. We are planning a couple of trips this summer. We’re getting together with Joan Terpak Plitt and John. We’re planning to drive out to Indiana to see my sister, Shirley Adams Beheler (Hood ’56) and her family. We’ll also have visits to or from grandchildren at some point.”

Barbara Arthur Pretzsch: “Our lives have gotten more active this year. We bought a house to “flip” and decided to move into it which we did in December. It has a fenced in back yard (for the dogs), space for the 5thwheel, a house all on one floor and 3 parking spaces for our 3 vehicles. Our son, Rob, joined us in the business from Kentucky and added another business; refinishing kitchen counters and bathroom tubs and showers. He brought 4 cats and a dog with him which makes our menagerie more numerous that the humans living here. He is living in the 5th wheel. The business just bought house #18, #15 is about ready to sell and houses # 16 and #17 are midst renovation. I still do exercises and line dancing although my body is saying “slow down a little” my mind says “No way”. I have been called into grandchildren sitting. Sean, now 9 is playing basketball (last winter) and baseball now. Jaclyn is a typical preteen at 11 nearly as tall as I am. I’m planning another crochet conference in Chicago in July. I am a junior reviewer for the CGOA Master’s Program. Evaluating the portfolios of candidates for the Master’s Program is a challenging experience. And another mini reunion with my Hood roommates is in the wind. If anyone is tripping east to west or west to east on Interstate 10, we are only about 3 miles off the interstate. Come and visit.”

Betty Appel Bailey: “All is well with us …. thank goodness. Our daughter, son-in-law and 3 grandchildren live nearby in Carlsbad, CA. The girls are all in sports and doing well. We took a great trip this past spring starting in Jekyll Island, GA and up the coast to Savannah, Hilton Head Island, and ending in Charleston. This was out 6th Tauck trip and as usual they took care of everything. We are still in San Diego, CA but we recently sold our 2nd home in Palm Desert which we owned for 15 years. It was time to pare down. Best to all.”

Judith Simonsen Ziobro: “Ed and I are in reasonably good health, being able to do just about everything we WANT to do and enjoying life greatly! We spend a good amount of quality time with our kids and their families (except for the one based in AZ. That’s a long way to come for a cookout.) This is especially true at our Bay House - just off the Chesapeake Bay. We love being around them. I do some financial bookkeeping at my church, and still am allowed to sing in the vocal choir and play in the handbell choir. I do sewing and altering as well (people keep coming back – that means that I must pretty good, or that I don’t charge enough!). Ed spends time setting up games and exercises to develop math skills in the 6 – 10year old grandkids. They love it that they know how to read Roman Numerals (however, that is a skill that may not be all that useful anymore — I understand that even movies have stopped using roman numerals in the copyright area in the final credits section. Oh well…) Life for us is good and I hope to continue it for a long time!”

Regina Schlank Pyle: “Every spring my private high school in New York commemorates the holocaust by giving a special presentation to honor a beloved instructor who was a holocaust survivor. It was my pleasure to introduce my elementary public school classmate, Michael Bornstein, author of “Survivors Club: The True Story of a very Young Prisoner of Auschwitz.” Michael was one of the youngest to be liberated by the Russians and his story is a testament to love and endurance. I traveled in China for three weeks this spring with a close friend. The impetus for the trip was for me to finally visit Beijing where my dear friend, Bikui, lives. He worked with my late husband, Tom, in 2000, they became good friends and he’s been in my life ever since. We started in Beijing and Bikui showed us all of the non-touristy sights and then we began a tour created for us by an excellent company. After Beijing we went to Xian to see the terracotta warriors, then to Chendgu to see the pandas, then a river trip through the Three Gorges and ending in Shanghai. Bikui arranged to have a business trip there so he was a wonderful guide. To say the least it was an eye opening trip and caused me to realize that the USA lags behind China is so many ways. Of course their style of government allows them the ability to forge ahead in many ways we can’t but in the past 30 years or so have created a fantastic highway system, hi-speed rail and excellent air lines, cellular technology, sophisticated cities with gleaming architecture and a highly educated population. And with a population of almost 1.4 billion, there are plenty willing to be sweepers who keep the streets immaculate. The people were most welcoming and the weather sunny and smog free! In early June I attended what would have been Tom’s 50th reunion of the Harvard Business School. We were married and shared that fantastic experience so it was wonderful to reconnect with many of his section mates and share memories.

Me, “Sally” Sara Zimmerman: I am teaching an introductory conversational German course as a volunteer with the University of South Florida OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute), and was elected in May to serve on the USF-OLLI board of advisors. The German language is a decades-old hobby of mine; so is singing. Early in 2017 I joined Friendship Singers, a Tampa chorus. We perform mostly in nursing homes and encourage everyone to sing along to our renditions of songs that were popular in the 1920s, 30s, 40s, and 50s. (Think ‘Toot, Toot, Tootsie, Goodbye.’) In an effort to walk taller, I’m at the New Tampa YMCA for a half hour three times a week where I use the resistance machines and lift weights. My health is very good; however, when I’m meeting someone new, or especially when teaching a new class, I have to explain that my ever-more-noticeable shaking is due to ‘essential tremor,’ a benign, heritable condition. It was first diagnosed in the mid 1970s when it was barely noticeable. And if people I’m explaining my tremor to are old enough to remember her, they say, “Oh, just like Katherine Hepburn and her tremor.’ And I say, ‘Yes, just like that.’”

Thanks to everyone below who sent news which appears below as submitted.

A shorter version (750 words) will appear in the Alumnae News.

Wishing everyone the best for 2017!

Betty Appel Bailey

We are still living in north country San Diego and our daughter and her family live nearby. In May Tom and I took a 9 day coach trip through the Canyons starting in Phoenix, on to Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, rafting on the Colorado River, and then to Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon. In September we flew back east to attend Tom’s

55th Naval Academy class reunion. It is always great fun to see old friends some we have known for 50+ years. I still miss two of my dear friends from Hood both of whom have passed away….Care Dickely Heeks and Carol Bahlke Holmes.

Judy Hammond Blatchford

We’re enjoy good health, and volunteer jobs (especially working with senior citizens), continue to travel (this past year to Baja California and Scotland), spend summers in the Adirondacks, have 1 granddaughter who has graduated from college and 4 of the 5 are taller than their grandmother!

Gail Dawson Clarke

This end of summer I took a cruise up North away from this Florida heat. I went along with 4,000 of my “closest friends” cruising up to Boston, Maine and Canadian coastal towns. At the same time, I learned that a friend from middle school has a cottage in Bar Harbor, Maine. So…after 61 years she and I reconnected and the years just melted away. I fell in love with the down-east Maine coast…the rugged coast line, the unique birds, the lifestyle and the grit and respect for the environment of the lobster men. My children are in a good place…one in the North Carolina mountains and one down here in Florida partnering with his high school friend to distill rum. For a while my legs were problematic, but I am in good health now. We seldom appreciate it when we have it, but once it disappears, oh how we value it. Cheers to you all, ladies of Hood. May the coming year bring you many blessings. I’d love to hear from you (gc.mumstheword@gmail.com)

Sunny Griffin

While I imagine that many of my classmates are having great grandchildren, I have just gotten my first – twins who are now 8 months old, Mabel and Oliver! We are going to Thailand this winter to try to sell our house in Chiang Mai because I don’t want to be on the other side of the world from my only grandchildren, and my daughter really needs help with twins. I am loving being with the babies and don’t want to miss a moment of their lives. It is particularly wonderful because I had to work all the time when my daughters were young so it is such fun playing with babies.

Doris Dalziel Kimball

All the decades disappear when I connect with Hood acquaintances. George and I still go to Anna Maria Island in April when the gulf is warm enough for Yankees and grands have their break. We will participate in our 9th Road Scholar adventure, this time in Martinique. A trip to Sedona in February will give us another chance to hike through those stunning red hills. Same volunteer jobs give us a chance to pay back for the many blessings we have received during 54 years together.

Penny Misirian Mardoian

I had a mini-reunion with Judy Blatchford and Nancy Heckscher and husbands at the end of October. My grandson, Michael, will be spending a semester in Barcelona through Trinity College. I will be in London for a week at the end of March. My life is busy and full.

Lynn MacDonough Morrow

George and I are gearing up for what will probably be our final mission trip to Nicaragua. January 2017 will be my 8th trip; it has been a meaningful part of my life over the past decade and a source of satisfaction that George has enthusiastically joined me on the trips. One of the missionary couples is retiring back to the US; it is not clear that the local church will continue to sponsor trips and we would eventually “age out” of being able to participate so it seems like a natural time for us to say our good-byes to our Nicaraguan friends when we are there for 10 days this winter. We can continue to support the educational program of providing school supplies to the local kids through financial contributions.

Barbara Arthur Pretzsch

We have just moved to a new house in the same town, more space, big back yard to hold our 5th wheel and fenced for the dogs. I have been too busy to do much but “pack up” and “unpack” and find stuff I could before we moved. Hope everyone is enjoying a prosperous new year.

Regina Schlank Pyle

The drama of selling my home in France unexpectedly continued throughout the year with the French real estate lawyers, aka “Notaires”, causing mischief and bureaucratic delays. A young family who rents in the association and have family living there presented themselves as buyers in March. Ideal buyers until their need to get financing arose and there is no provision for banks to give preapproval for a loan. Fast forward I spent two weeks there in July trying to get the deal moving and a closing was set for November lst. That morning the notaires discovered a “petit problem” – i.e. the shares of my house hadn’t been transferred to the buyers as necessary. A novel solution was suggested and approved that the buyers move in as tenants until the mess had been cleared up.

I’m more that delighted to say that as of 12/29, a mere 16 months later, I no longer own property in France. Given the length of the process, I dread receiving an accounting of the legal bills which will be paid from the proceeds of the sale. Once done the remainder will go for scholarships to Harvard Business School and the Kennedy School of Government and for research at Mass General Hospital’s cancer center. Of course I have lots of wonderful memories and will return to visit friends but it’s a great relief both mentally and financially to have it off the books. And whenever someone rhapsodizes about owning a house in the French country side, I remind them of a four letter word that begins with “R”.

One of the pleasures of living in Boston is that friends want to visit and many did – including some from London and Beijing. I spent Thanksgiving with my niece and her family in Manhattan Beach. Her boys, 10 and 13, take after their father and every day weather permitting, they suit up, grab their boards and head for the beach. Really fun to watch. Life in Boston remains busy with wonderful friends and a couple of non-profit boards. Monty, my 6 year old cairn terrier, continues to co-habitat with Rossy, a domestic short hair who’s now 12. Both are a delight and every night assume their side of the bed. To say the least life is good.

Barbara Stewart

Paul and I are continuing to enjoy life in Maine. We seem to be into cross country road trips. We had a great one last summer visiting two grandchildren, Kaitlyn and Ryan graduating from high school in Missouri and California. 2017 will have two more graduates in Sonoma and San Diego…Zachary from Sonoma State and Meghan from Eastlake HS which will give us an excuse for another road trip. I am still into rug hooking, quilting, and some watercolor attempts, plus community volunteering.

Elizabeth Kovacs Washburn

My daughter, Natasha, is in Spain and London visiting granddaughter, Jacquelyn, who is on junior year abroad with Boston University. Their pictures on Facebook are stunning. Ted and I had a “miracle” Christmas. Our dog Josey came back from death’s door Christmas Eve. We had a “doggie” Christmas with Josey and Natasha’s dog, Bene. We also hosted Christmas yummies after church. ‘Tis the season of joy and gratitude!

Jody Merritt Watson

No big trips this year, but Peter and I are enjoying the good features of condo living. I started a book club here this year, and can’t believe it is my first one! We still love living in Maine, with all the erratic weather patterns and hopefully some good snow storms this year. Our kids and grands all live in Portland, so it’s great to keep up with their concerts, sports, and busy lives. All of them enjoy skiing but are anxious to sample snowboarding this winter. Can our 55th be right around the corner?!?

Sara Zimmerman

One of my hobbies for decades has been the German language. It all started back in high school when our music teacher drove a car full of us from Harrisburg to NYC. We stayed overnight and in the space of two days saw three musicals. One, off Broadway, was the Three Penny Opera. At 16, I fell in love with Kurt Weill’s score and Bert Brecht’s lyrics, and memorized the lyrics in both English and the original German.

Wildly skipping far ahead, in Oct and Nov 2016, I completed a two-month intensive German course at the Goethe Institute in Freiburg im Breigau, Germany, my fourth course at a GI in the space of 53 years. In my section this time, my 12 classmates came from nine countries including China, Thailand, Japan, Syria, Israel, Italy, Barbados, England, and Switzerland and averaged in age about 23. I’ve always enjoyed working with young people and international experiences. Now in December 2016, I’m in Switzerland working on family history. The Zimmermans were Anabaptists, persecuted by local governments for their religious principles, and fled to Alsace, France where they settled before heading to the US in the 18th century. My nephew Mike in Harrisburg is the true family genealogist; I’m assisting him with translations of documents and by taking photos of the very small towns of our great-great-great-great-great grandparents. With much gratitude to Regina for being correspondent.revsaraz@gmail.com

Judith Ziobro

My news isn’t news, in that Ed and I do pretty much the same things – eat, sleep, do a little exercise daily, and enjoy as much time as our daughters and their families are able to share with us. That makes for some boring reading, but from my perspective – a great life. I still do volunteer accounting, and money-handling work at my church, sing in the vocal choir and ring in the handbell choir regularly. Earlier this year I helped the church prepare several hundred “Days for Girls” kits for some primitive areas in Swaziland. Since I was the only one who admitted owning a serger, I wound up making 600 liners for the project. Needless to say, I keep busy doing the things that I like.

Linda MacDonough Morrow : “George and I spent two weeks in Europe in May. His youngest is living near Paris while in grad school. George, as a dutiful father, visited her to be sure she is doing OK (in Paris!) and I, as a good wife, accompanied him (to Paris!). We also spent a few days in Barcelona to visit a former Penn State nutrition student/friend.

In September my 42-yr-old daughter married for the first time to a man 10 years her senior who had never been married before. I’m sure there was a lot of adjustment to be made on both sides, but they seem to be doing well. George and I visited them over the Mother’s Day weekend and had a great day touring Ft. McHenry, near their Baltimore home.”

Marjorie Simmons Carlson: “Our oldest grandson, Chris, Jr., is now an attorney in the States Attorney’s Office in Charleston, WVA – he recently vacationed with two buddies in Iceland; Bill and I were at High Point University on May 7 to attend the graduation of our granddaughter, Hannah; granddaughter Molly Carlson Berger will receive her Elementary Ed. Degree from Maryland Univ. on May 19, and…the “Library Lady” (that’s me) will be retiring from Riverdale Baptist School, Upper Marlboro, MD, on June 8 after 37 years of service. These are the highlights; there’s much more ‘on my plate’!”

Candee Mack Westdorp: “We have two grandsons graduating from college. Our granddaughter is in her second year of serving in the Peace Corps after graduating from college.
We are fine and playing lots of tennis. Best wishes to all classmates.”

Jane Hoskins Bollman: “Not much has changed for me, but as I write this, just home from teaching a weekly art class, I’d have to mention the enjoyment I get teaching senior citizens (as opposed to junior high students in the 60’s). It is a lot more fun! Thanks to Jack Davis at Hood for developing my passion for art.”

Pam Roberts Welham: “Bonjour! Walt and I were in Paris for a three week visit- another item off our bucket list. We had an apartment in the Marais with a small ‘place’ across the street that has a Wed and Sat market. Yesterday I bought cherries, strawberries, cheese, and lilacs. Idyllic! We took a two-day tour to the Loire Valley and also visited Chartres for a day. Otherwise, we learned more about the Paris bus system and visited some of our favorite places in this wonderful city.
We sold our house in Annandale, VA before leaving on this trip and will move to the retirement community nearby, The Fairfax, in August. We are looking forward to living in smaller quarters with less upkeep- easier to leave when we travel. A classmate of Walt, USNA ’62, and his wife (Joan and Pete Odell) are staying in our house while we are away and they wait for their apartment at Bay Woods, an Annapolis retirement community, to be completed. A sign of the times for our contemporaries. We are looking forward to this next chapter- what better way to begin than a trip to Paris?!!!”

Marvia Slade Perreult: “We flew to Buffalo in February to spend time with daughter Melanie, now the Provost of Buffalo State University, and had our return trip delayed one day due to snow. I’m becoming involved in committees in the 55+ community in which we live. Also have been volunteering at Salisbury University, in the Historical Research Center, transcribing a 1799 handwritten (duh!) diary of a prominent local figure to computer. Very interesting!

Other than that, looking forward to finally getting together again with Bobbi Arthur Pretzsch, Linda Martin McManus, and Gail Wood Fortin this September in Fenwick Island, DE.

Barbara Arthur Pretzsch: Our business (daughter, Lyn included) of buying houses in foreclosure, renovating and selling them has been quite a challenge. Mostly I’m a “gopher” and a baby sitter for the grandchildren. When I’m not helping at a house under renovation I’ve been active in 2 line dancing groups, some Zumba classes, Silver Sneakers classes and a crochet and knitting group. Bob and I recently went on a cruise to Cozumel and Progresso. It was lots of fun as several of the cruisers in this group were some of the line dancers in one of my groups. My other line dancing group put on a fund raiser for the Gulf Coast Woman’s Center for Nonviolence. We had 3 line dance teachers, food and door prizes and made nearly $1000.00 for the center. I’m planning on another Crochet Conference trip, one to the Hemingway Days in Key West (my brother-in-law is a Hemingway Look-alike and as such helps select the next Papa Hemingway) and to visit with Hood friends, Gail Wood Fortin, Marvia Slade Perreault and Linda Martin Mc Manus in September. It will be a busy summer. My grandchildren are growing up as they are wont to do and playing baseball/softball this season. They have also played basketball, soccer and karate. Going to games takes up a number of hours each week.
BTW I was at one of my grandchildren’s basketball games and saw a car with a Hood license plate frame. I left a card on the car to let them know there was another Hoodlum in Gulfport, MS but never got a call. Anyone know of anyone in this “neck of the woods” from Hood?”

Doris Dalziel Kimball: “Greetings, all. There are no big changes in our lives. George and I still love living in this cozy condo right on the lake. It is like living on a cruise ship except no one makes our bed or turns the towels into elephants. I plan and plant the gardens surrounding the building because it is still a pleasure. Am trying to find time to do watercolors again and continue to walk around the lake, read for two book clubs and try to remember all the cards played at Bridge. Helping the staff to serve the patients at our gorgeous, local hospice facility is about the only volunteer work I still do. Life is good and precious.”

Judy Hammond Blatchford: “ Park and I continue to travel with Lindblad Expeditions a couple of times a year, most recently to Peru, Chile and Rapa Nui (Easter Island) in addition to two weeks in Baja California. We love experiencing nature and exotic animals and places on their small ships with expert naturalists and photography advisors.

This spring we are celebrating two of our granddaughters’ graduations (from Lehigh and Proctor Academy) while our three younger grands are in middle and high schools. Soon thereafter we’ll be heading north to the Adirondacks for the summer. As I write this at the end of May, in three days we’ll be gathering in Baltimore for a mini-reunion with Roger and Jane Hoskins Bollman, Carl and Susan Shinnick Hossfeld, Susan Rugemer Kurtz, Penny Misirian Mardoian, and Ben and Nancy Turner Heckscher. Hard to realize it has been 58 years since we girls first met one another on the Hood campus!”

Penny Mardoian: I went on a wonderful 3 week trip with Smithsonian Journeys to Australia and New Zealand. The highlight of the trip, for me, was seeing the Sydney Opera House from every conceivable location. It has been two years since Art passed away and my life is full of family, friends and volunteer work.”

Susan Shinnick Hossfeld: “Carl and I just returned from a trip to France, five days in Paris in a small, eclectic Latin Quarter apartment, followed by a River Boat Cruise on the Seine. Highlights on the Seine were: charming French villages, Rouen, Normandy, Honfleur and Monet’s House and Gardens. We had a wonderful get-together with Judy and Parker Blatchford, Jane and Roger Bollman, Penny Mardoian, Susan Kurtz , Nancy Heckscher and Ben.”

Harriet Rusty Papst Midge Hoagland: “In May, Bill and I returned from an exciting Viking Ocean cruise to Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Poland, Estonia, Russia and Finland. Now we look forward to an array of events… a grandson’s last crew meet, the national championship in Philadelphia and his high school graduation, a granddaughter’s ballet performance at the Kirov and the youngest of my daughter’s boys receiving his Eagle Boy Scout award. This summer all the children and grandchildren (4 boys, 1 girl) have found time to spend time with us at our summer home in Old Saybrook, CT. Hooray! Life is good.”

Lillian Detrick Blood: “Dave and I have been busy with our organic vegetable garden. This year it was chosen to be featured on the Ridgewood Garden tour. Our 19 year grandson, Aiden flew in from Hermosa Beach, CA to give us some extra help. We are fortunate to be in good health and continue to ski, hike, kayak and spend time with our family. Dave continues to practice cardiology, however, I retired to pursue other interests.”

Elizabeth (Betts) Davis Ackerman: “Here’s the latest exciting(?) news from the Pacific Northwest…….
The nicest part of being a piano teacher right now is that I am teaching my little 8-year old granddaughter. What could be lovelier? This year I have gotten into contra dancing and English country dancing; both lots of fun and good exercise. I am about to put in my veggie garden. My Japanese garden is an ongoing project which I share with my landscape architect son. Recent travels include Cabo San Lucas and Williamsburg Virginia where I learned so much about our history. I live in a beautiful part of the country and welcome any classmates who would like a tour guide.”

Regina Schlank Pyle: “Celebrating our 75 birthdays, I joined a long time pal in Phoenix, where she grew up, and spent February and March, renting a condo to escape Boston’s winter. Monica had driven out with her wonderful albeit large dog, Francesca, and I offered to drive back. So we had a wonderful road trip- 8 days, 2,700 miles, 6 dog friendly motels and visits with friends and relatives along the way. No real sight-seeing because of Francesca but gained a new appreciation for how vast the country is, how totally different various parts are, and just how much of what we buy every day is transported by the thousands of semi-trailers we passed along the way. My major souvenir is a semi-flashy T-shirt with Route 66 emblazoned in sequins.
In early May I attended the first ever reunion of my NYC elementary school – PS 6 – class of 1954 – a mere 62 later. Two gals came up with the idea and through the internet and various networking connections were able to find about half of the 90 classmates. The gal who found me was best friends in high school with my best friend in college, Liz Kovacs, and we were bride’s maids in her wedding…and she remembered. The gals were the hardest to find because of name change. 29 attend the reunion along with 11 spouses. We had a tour of the school with lunch and a dinner reception and buffet at the University Club donated anonymously by a generous class mate. It was an amazing gathering to say the least.

When I was contacted I shared my memories shrouded all these years in shame about a boy who joined our class in 5th grade, 1951 – shy, pudgy, spoke little English and had numbers on his arm. The shame was that no teacher told us what Michael had been through – surviving Auschwitz and being freed 1/45 when 4 years old. He was reunited with his mother who had been sent to another camp and they immigrated to NYC in ’51. The organizers were able to find Michael Bornstein through a holocaust website and he came with his wife. He earned advanced degrees in chemistry and worked for Eli Lilly and Johnson and Johnson; now retired he lives in NYC and New Jersey. After the event he emailed that he wasn’t sure why he attended but now felt closure after 62 years meeting the children that shunned him and the adults who now embraced him. He has co-authored a book, Survivors Club: The True Story of a Very Young Prisoner of Auschwitz, with his daughter, Debbie Bornstein Holinstat, available on Amazon 3/7/17.
All is well in Boston – keeping busy chairing my neighborhood association and a trustee of my condo association. Fortunate to be in great health and sharing my life with Monty, a cairn terrier, and Rossy, a cat.”

Elizabeth Kovacs Dudley Washburn: “Small world. Regina Schlank Pyle (who was my dear half sister at Hood) was invited by my dear friend from Music and Art High School, Lillie Anderson, to attend their 54th Reunion at P.S. 6 in New York City. They had a blast. Both were bridesmaids in my wedding in 1963. My husband Ted and I are enjoying retirement immensely: family time, good friends, entertaining. church activities, gardening – Portland is “Rose City”, doggie time, reading great books, “Silver Sneakers” aerobic classes, etc. I’m painting as much as I can and exhibiting here and there. Since we lived overseas for 16 years (England, Kenya and Turkey) we are happy to stay put. We are always ready to share a meal and visit with any Hoodite passing through Lake Oswego, Oregon.”

Ann Holmes Flatt: “Aside from a few health issues, JP and I have gratefully enjoyed another good year, keeping happily occupied with family, friends, community activities, trips in our RV, and travels abroad, most recently a Safari in Kenya. I never thought that item in my bucket list would become a reality. WOW! What a treat! In September we have plans to return to Switzerland to visit family and friends.
Art classes have me exploring different mediums. For now it’s challenging watercolor. Singing with the Worcester Chorus has been rewarding in many ways. In addition to our 4 annual concerts, we recently hosted singers from Mexico City for a week and performed 2 concerts with them in New Haven, CT and in Worcester, MA. This August we will be going to Québec City for a week to perform in a Music Festival. Two of our concerts will be with a Québec chorus.
Skiing in the winter, yoga, hikes up our local Mt Wachusett, and happy hours in my garden help to keep me centered and sane!
JP and I enjoy occasional get-togethers with Rusty Papst and Bill Hoagland. We welcome any other Hood classmates to visit us whenever they are in the area. We are still in our large turn-of-the-century home in Princeton, MA and like to have reasons to keep it! We are not ready to downsize – yet – but realistically know it is not far away!”

Judi Simonsen Ziobro: “Ed and I are still enjoying good health and as much family time with our kids and their kids as they are able to share with us. We did our usual Florida trip in March, saw Judy Bailey Allison and Tom, then did a cruise with Judy Jensen Burgess and Gordon to the Panama Canal and some other ports along the coasts of South and Central America. Beautiful scenery and a truly wonderful experience with our only mosquito encounter happening in Ft. Lauderdale before the cruise began. I still am involved in making music in my church, in both vocal and handbell choirs, and sewing of all sorts for all sorts of projects (Shepherds’ robes, Days for Girls kits, alterations for prom dresses, etc.). It keeps the mind active and gives me an excuse for not doing housekeeping duties. Life is good!”

Barbie Reeves McGee: “Wow – What a year it has been for me. My husband has been in the hospital twice for heart issues. He is stable now but is not in good health. As for me, I am lucky to be in good health. I just keep going. Being busy is good for me. I finished another year of subbing – had decided to give it up but changed my mind. I need the mental stimulation of dealing with the youth of today.

I am also involved in a retired teachers group. My position is to plan five luncheons a year. Then I work with a “Find Arts” group to raise funds for scholarships for high school seniors who are going to college in the arts.

For a great read: Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson. It’s non-fiction but reads like a novel.

I wonder what Dr. Lewis would have to say about the ‘2016 Race to the White House.’ Looking forward to our next reunion.”

Sara (aka Sally) Zimmerman: class reporter…. For all of you who said you may get in touch with me next time you are coming to the west coast of Florida, yes, do it! I have a small home on a lake preserve and bird watchers’ paradise on Esprit Drive in New Tampa, only three miles off of I-75, and I love sharing it with friends. Not during these summer months, though. It’s a good time to beat the heat, and I’ll be flying to Columbus, OH in a few weeks for a national meeting of Unitarian Universalist ministers and a visit with a niece and her family. In July, I’m booked for a trip to Milwaukee to visit my daughter and grandchildren Henry (12) and Helen (9). Henry just graduated from 6th grade. In August, I’ll be flying to Pennsylvania to attend our 58th Central Dauphin high school reunion. Now in retirement from full-time parish ministry, I’m much busier as a consultant and free-lance minister doing Sunday pulpit supply than I ever thought I would be and loving it. SZ

From the 25 responses received, I can report that we love and are proud of our children and grandchildren, we travel, read many books, deal with health crises –our own and those of our loved ones. One of us got engaged; others celebrated long marriages. We exercise, some of us play bridge, paint, and work at mastering new technology. This is not easy; after all, we hand wrote English class papers or used manual typewriters! Marjorie Westergaard, my sophomore year roommate, says she’s trying to figure the ins and outs of Facebook. “Gotta keep up with modern times,” she says. Jane Hoskins Bollman, having computer problems says, “I hate getting used to new technology – anyone else feel that way?” Jane reads a lot and recommends The Boys in the Boat. She also teaches art, paints, plays bridge, and exercises at the Y. Lillian Detrick Blood recommends Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard; Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick; and Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. Lillian and Janet McDougall met for an enjoyable lunch in NYC. Penny Misirian Mardoian hosted Nancy Turner Heckscher and Ben at her home in Maine this summer. Penny is looking forward to three weeks of touring Australia and New Zealand with a close friend at the end of January. Phoebe Adams Marshall visited her sister (Shirley Adams Beheler, Hood ’56) and her family. Phoebe plays tennis four days a week and sings with a Masterworks Chorale and church choir. Elizabeth Davis Ackerman greets us from Vancouver. She is now in her 55th year of teaching piano, and has 26 students, the most favorite her eight- year-old granddaughter. She reports many winners at state, regional, and national levels. She currently serves as president for the Clark County (WA) National Federation of Music Clubs. This summer she visited a music friend in the San Juan Islands. Betts says, “If anyone wants to come to the Portland area, I would be happy to show them around. From my house I have views of the Cascades, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams.” Barbara Arthur Pretzsch traveled to San Diego to attend the Knit and Crochet Show, as she tries to do each year. Congratulations to Barbara for the honor of being asked to be a Junior Reviewer for the Crochet Guild of America Master’s program. Judy Hammond Blatchford reports that she and Park had a wonderful trip to South Africa that featured a foremost export on the lemurs of Madagascar, none other than Patricia Chappie Wright, Hood ’66. Judy and Park also traveled to Peru, Chile, and Easter Island. Regina Schlank Pyle successfully bid on a fabulous seven-day safari in Zulu Nyala, an hour north of Durbin. On her return trip, she spent five days in London catching up with friends. “Life is good and I’m fortunate,” Regina says. Dr. Martha Atkinson Meadows reports that she still teaches part time at Hood. Martha travels – most recently to Provence with the Hood alum tour and says: “Excellent and beautiful. I encourage all to consider the next alum sponsored trip.” Susan Shinnick Hossfeld and Carl traveled to London and Scotland this summer with Jane Hoskins Bollman and Roger who joined them in Scotland. Barbara Kirby Stewart and Paul headed west in May, met Paul’s daughters at Crystal Bridges (the Walmart heiress’ art museum), then on to Monument Valley, Moab, Death Valley Furnace Creek Ranch, San Diego to visit Barbara’s daughters and families, then LA, Utah, and home through the Rockies.
Congratulations to Elizabeth Pauley who recently became engaged to Lou. They met in 1959. Beth says, “Two years ago I read about the death of Lou’s wife in the county paper. I sent him a note. He invited me to breakfast. We have been doing things together since, like fly fishing.” The happy couple traveled to England, France and Switzerland in August. Lynn MacDonough Morrow hosted her daughter’s wedding reception at her farm. Lynn says, “Both the 42 year old bride and the 52 year old groom were making their first trip to the altar after 18 years of knowing each other and three years of dating.”Betty Appel Bailey and Tom celebrated their 50th anniversary in July and took a coach trip up the California coast. They are simplifying their lives by selling their second home in Palm Desert, CA. They enjoy attending the soccer games and swim meets of their three granddaughters. Marjorie Simmons Carlson reports impressive happenings in the lives of her nine grandkids. Some highlights: Christopher passed the W. Virginia Bar and works at the state’s attorney’s office in Charleston, W. Va.; granddaughter Molly got married; Thomas went to Towson U.; and Hannah will graduate next May from High Point Univ. Sarah Enos Karpowitz’s daughter Jennifer and her husband Steve have three children, and Sarah’s son Jim and wife have two teenagers. Sarah goes to water aerobics regularly and says she is “working on staying healthy and productive as time marches on!” She works part time taking care of clients who need help.
Congratulations to Margo Friedman and Sidney whose daughter Dr. Lisa Miller’s book The Spiritual Child: The New Science of Parenting for Health and Lifelong Thriving, was published recently by St. Martin’s Press. Lisa has appeared on the Today Show and in early fall was interviewed by Robin Young on NPR. Lisa is Director of the Clinical Psychology Program and Director of the Mind Body Institute at Columbia U.Jody Merritt Watson is moving and promises more news next time. Marvia Slade Perreault’s daughter Melanie encouraged her parents to move to Salisbury, MD to be near her, and they did so. Then Melanie was offered the position of Provost at Buffalo State University, part of SUNY. Now Melanie would like them to move to Buffalo. Marvia says, “The idea of moving again is not on our bucket list.” Liz Decker Rogers reports that Bill, who has Lewy Body Dementia, was moved to a memory care facility in Alameda, CA closer to home, easier for her. Liz is “recovering from a dog dust up that ended up with several pelvic fractures and a fractured humerus.” She recovered enough to travel to Baja in early October to celebrate her daughter-in-law’s birthday, her son Matt’s 45th, and her own 75th. Liz says it has been a challenging year and adds: “I am keeping my fingers crossed that I will rise to whatever occasions come my way.” Just before submitting this column, I received a PS from Liz: “I had an absolutely great 75th surprise birthday party” (back home in Alameda).Linda Keyler White reported trying to help her elderly mother have a peaceful ending to her 98 years of life here on earth and that she is very busy making many decisions. Hugs for you, Linda.Rusty Papst Hougland: Last fall Rusty and Bill traveled to Portugal and Spain. This summer, she had two melanoma surgeries on her left shin. Rusty says: “Now all is well. In spite of that I managed a wonderful trip to Europe with my daughter, Mary. We were celebrating her 50th birthday. I think I broke my all time reading record: I read 15 books in the three months I had to sit with my leg elevated.”Judi Simonsen Ziobro describes herself as “a content woman, with a life full of love and good things. My joys are my family and friends, music, and trips to our bay house where we eat great seafood, and watch the water and sunsets. This summer we enjoyed a visit from 20 dolphins who toured our creek and played with the raft we were pulling behind our boat. The grandkids were sooooo impressed with the dolphins. Better than anything at Sea World! Life is so good!”Sunny Griffin recently wrote a chapter of a newly published book, which has become a number one best seller over the last few days. The book title is One Crazy Broccoli—My Body is Smarter than My Disease.Sara “Sally” Zimmerman Until I find the fountain of youth here in Florida, I am working out at the New Tampa YMCA four days a week, mostly resistance and balance exercises. Post retirement, I continue to be active as a minister, about six times a year writing and giving sermons as guest speaker on Sunday mornings, and I serve my Unitarian Universalist colleagues in Florida as a volunteer Good Officer. (sort of a trouble shooter, mediator role). I start every day by naming 10 things I am grateful for, and every day this week, I have been grateful to all of you.

From Betty Appel Bailey: “Nothing has changed …. fortunately. All is well.”

From Jane Bollman: “Teaching art classes and taking art workshops, two book clubs, two bridge clubs, occasional R&R at our little one-room cabin in Tidewater Virginia, and some travel out of the country keeps me out of trouble.” Jane’s April update: “I’m happy to emerge from a long cold winter so I can go outside and do some plein air painting.”

Marjorie Simmons Carlson: “Bill and I have reached a new family “milestone”: our granddaughter, Molly, junior at MD U in Elementary Ed, will be married July 11.***Our grandson, Christopher, Jr., will graduate from George Washington Law School in May.” signed “L.L.” (aka “Library Lady”)

Ann Holmes Flatt observes: “2014 was a wonderful year, filled with many happy family gatherings, several travel adventures and good health. Our three ‘kids’ are all well, engaged in various activities and trying to keep up with their kids, our 5 grandchildren! The oldest grandson, 20, is now a sophomore at William and Mary. Youngest grand twins are now 4 and we are lucky to have them living not far from here. We enjoy frequent times spent with our special needs daughter who lives in a nearby town. Our RV continues to bring us on amazing trips and adventures throughout the US. Having left it in AZ for the winter, we drove it home to MA travelling through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York and Connecticut – so many beautiful sites. We loved every mile!

Here winter is throwing us an impressive punch. With today’s latest storm we have a good five feet of while fluffy snow. (Ann’s update on 2/19/15: “We’re now up to 8 feet, 9 inches.”) We have been enjoying some wonderful skiing on our local Mount Wachusett Ski Area and cross country skiing and snow shoeing on many nearby trails. Tonight’s temps will plummet to below zero – a bit less fun! More snow is expected in the next few days with ‘significant accumulation’. So far I’m still loving it! At the end of Feb. we are travelling to Switzerland for 10 days to surprise JP’s brother on his 80th birthday. In late March we are going to Mexico with one of our grandsons, continuing our plan to take each grandchild on a trip when they reach 16. I am still singing with the Worcester Chorus now rehearsing Bach’s St John’s Passion for our next concert and also enjoy taking a painting class at the Worcester Art Museum.”
From Caroline Fischer Giles: “Other than surviving severe winter storms here in New Hampshire, we have been planning our trips for the year ahead. We are scheduled to go to Monterey, CA in March to visit our son and daughter-in-law Katy. This June we plan to be in Brazil (Sao Luis) visiting with another daughter-in-law’ s family and then in September, a house exchange with our cottage is planned for Normandy, France. We are fortunate to enjoy good health and try to stay in shape using the fitness center at UNH. I still love my work with the UNH Marine Docent Program and Brian continues his work with environmental issues at the state and local level. One of the greatest joys these past few years, has been our times with our grandchildren, Brenon (3 and 1/2) and Benjamin, (1and 1/2). As you might guess, we are the oldest grandparents of the youngest grandchildren, and we are thoroughly enjoying our roles as Nana and Grandpa.”
Sunny Griffin writes from Thailand: “Our year has been pretty wonderful with my oldest daughter, Kelly, getting married in a fabulous wedding at the home of a billionaire on the beach in Malibu in September. Kelly is a movie producer, she married an agent, and the wedding was a gift from the billionaire. It was like a Hollywood dream come true ….. followed immediately by a 2 week trip to China for my husband and me. The Chinese importer of my skin care line, Astara, invited us to Beijing and Shanghai to do PR for the product line and treated us like celebrities the entire time we were there. There are 300 million WEALTHY middle class people in China today, all potential customers for us, and the country is amazing and must be seen to be believed. A Chinese website, TMall (that carries Astara products as well as thousands of other brands) sells $1 BILLION A DAY!!!!! We will spend the rest of the winter in Thailand and return to Telluride sometime in May.”
Nancy Turner Heckscher observes: “Not much news here except I see Judy Hammond Blatchford as she and Park live next to us here in Berwyn. We did go to Hong Kong for Christmas to see our Grands and stay with step son, Chris and Evonne and my son Jon and Amanda and their 3 girls! Such fun and busy household with a 9 month Labradoodle!!!!”
Susan Shinnick Hossfeld says: “Carl and I are still traveling while we are able. Fall found us on a river cruise from Bucharest to Budapest and on to Vienna for three days. Late January 2015, we leave for Big Sky, Montana , winter in Yellowstone National Park and on the way home we are stopping off in San Francisco, Monterey and Carmel. We leave in March for Snowmass, Colorado with the children and grandchildren for a week of skiing. (Unfortunately, I had to give up skiing) In late July we leave for Scotland and London. Our summer plans include a trip to Rehoboth Beach with our extended family of twelve.”
From Doris Dalziel Kimball: “George and I drove out east last fall to French Canada by way of Cape Cod. The fall colors were exceptional all the way north. A trip of walking and hiking back and forth between Vermont and Canada provided by Road Scholar inspired the whole trip. We were headquartered in a wee town called Glen Sutton which is where wildly famous Canadian author Louise Penny wrote her first Inspector Gamache mysteries. Three Pines was fashioned after Glen Sutton. Some of my friends are actually jealous that we were seeing places that inspired the author Louise Penny.” April update: “After volunteering for the Lake Area Free Health Clinic for about 8 years, I added the beautiful hospice facility in my town to my helping list. After hearing a group of women singing to the patients I joined the local Threshold Choir singers (one of about 1700 groups nationwide) and will soon be singing to the patients as well as assisting family and staff as they bid their loved ones a final good-bye.”
Penny M. Mardoian writes: “I spent a week in Budapest, Hungary at Thanksgiving. My life is going forward since my husband Art passed away. My oldest grandson, Michael, is at Trinity College in Hartford and so I get to see more of my PA family.”
Susan Auf Der Hyde Markscheffel responded to my remarks in an email about food in the Virgin Islands: “I enjoyed reading of your pleasure in roti!!! Made me hungry!!! I’m a “foreign” (?) food junkie and love Ethiopian, West Indian, Indian, and Middle Eastern foods. I’m fortunate to have a daughter and granddaughter who will enjoy it all, right along with me. (oink!)”
Janet Zwinck Morrison asks: “Remember sun bathing on the gym roof? We even used baby oil mixed with iodine to improve our tans. As a result I now call my skin color “age Spot.”

From Lynn MacDonough Morrow: “George and I returned Feb. 8 from a 2-week mission trip in Nicaragua. It was my 6th time to go; each year it gets better as I am building relationships with team members, the missionaries and especially with the local Nicaraguans. I practice my modest Spanish with the children and teens who know some English and we share a lot of laughs as we use body language and the little we know in each others’ language to communicate.
One of the jobs I do each year is to help fill over 600 backpacks with school supplies, purchased on the local economy with funds donated by supporters in PA. The Nica. school year coincides with the calendar year so school resumes the first of February. We reward the local kids who earned good grades the previous school year with the supplies they need to start in their new grade. Public schools are so poor that the kids have to supply their own notebooks, pencils, etc. to copy what the teachers write on the black board because there aren’t text books for the children. Without supplies the children can’t go to school; the families in the community typically can’t afford to buy the spiral notebooks, pens, pencils, erasers, pencil sharpeners, rulers, etc they need, so our donations are not only a reward for past learning but also make it possible for the children to continue their education.”

Lynn’s April 2015 update: “I think my biggest news is that my hair color is now silver.
Years ago we all made our own decisions about whether to color our hair when the gray appeared. Some of us who “hit the bottle” are still a youthful brown or blonde but others have gone through the transition to “natural”……whatever turned out to be hiding under the purchased color. I had fretted for years over how I would let the bottle brown grow out. My mother had stunning white hair but close examination in the mirror of my roots before monthly coloring had convinced me that I had not inherited her white hair genes. Last summer the sun, swimming pool chlorine, lighter purchased color and advanced years all combined to indicate it was time for me to go natural. The sun- and pool-bleached color was so light that I hoped the demarcation line wouldn’t be too hideous so I returned my unopened packages of Preference hair color to remove temptation and never looked back. Last month my hair dresser cut the final tips of colored hair and I have to say that I’m happy with the “real me.” It took about 7 months (August to March) and I do have rather short hair so it wasn’t as dreadful as I had feared. What is funny is that I have noticed that friends my age and older tend to comment about my new color but younger people don’t mention it…..do they think it would be rude, like asking someone about the big zit on their chin? I want to say, “I know it’s gray…..It is my choice…..you may comment because I know it’s a big change.”

From Barbara Arthur Pretzsch: “Bob worked in Utah last summer. I drove out alone but back with Lyn and the grandkids. We visited in the Ogden area then on the way home stopped at Bryce Canyon, Best Friends in Kanab, then Colorado to take the Silverton Durango train and then a stop at Pagosa Springs for a dip in their hot springs.
In July I took a trip to the Crochet Guild conference in Manchester, NH and took a few days before to travel up the coast with a friend and visited Teal West Hugo. I also visited with Gail Wood Fortin, Marvia Slade Perreault and Linda Martin McManus the end of the summer at Fenwick Island, DE. We have been taking a trip together for quite a few years now.
My line dancing is one way I stay active. We had a nice cruise in November with other line dancers. We got a taste of what it was like on a rocking ship for the dancers who put on the evening shows we saw each evening. We learned a new line dance on the stage one afternoon.
Our 4 legged kid situation has changed. Patches, our Shih Tzu, was with Bob last summer. I decided to add another dog to the family: a little Chihuahua (with the name Patches) we named Little Patch. I was worried that Patches might not approve but they get along fine.
I wish anyone traveling along the Mississippi Gulf Coast on Interstate 10 would stop and say hi, or stay overnight with me. We are about equidistant between New Orleans, LA and Mobile, AL. Call me at 859-588-3911.”
Arden Reynolds echoes what most of you in New England are saying about January/February: “As I write this I’m looking out at more snow falling, after the two feet of snow a few days after the blizzard of 2015 here in Massachusetts. We are also knee deep in converting our screened in porch to a year round sunroom. It all started when we decided to switch from electric heat to gas heat, and from there it snowballed (another winter reference!) to a kitchen renovation and sunroom.”
Liz Decker Rogers in CA: On hearing my news that I was doing ministry in St. John, V.I. in January, Liz wrote: “I have fond memories of that island.”
From Barbara Stewart: “We are in constant battle with SNOW and the frigid cold here in Downeast Maine. In spite of it all we are still loving our life here. I have made up for lost time by taking up watercolors, rug hooking and quilting. I was not able to enjoy my crafts while working. Paul enjoys shoveling snow, weeding, mowing, and house painting.
We have been taking long road trips in the US and Canada. We will be heading for San Diego in June to celebrate another big birthday with my daughters and their families. At this point in our lives, all is good. You can’t ask for more than that!”

Liz Kovacs Dudley Washburn observes: “It’s hard to believe we’re approaching 75! Looking back, the “Cold War” loomed large. Now we have new dangers. I’ve been very fortunate to have lived in England, Kenya and Turkey as well as the East and West coasts of the USA. All of them were political “hot spots”. In all those places there was violence; criminal as well as terrorist. Yet what really stands out is the beauty, warmth and hospitality of each. Reading what other ’62 alums have done, I would say we are a well traveled group. All this traveling around and international connectedness is making the world a better place. We retirees are so blessed! We have time to graciously volunteer, be there for our families, “fill in the cracks’ as one friend put it. My husband and I are very involved in family life, our church, art: I paint, he makes furniture. We do charity work, travel, do animal care, reading and a movie group. Life is full! We live in Lake Oswego, Oregon, near Portland and would love to hear from fellow alums who may travel this way.
We are in a thought provoking study series at church, “Why Evil Exists”, video lectures by Prof. Charles Mathewes, PhD (Great Courses series). He surveys 3000 years of history, philosophy and theology. The course is immensely helpful in trying to understand the “evils’ that exist in today’s world as well as the past. So I give credit to our Liberal Arts education at Hood and our excellent professors, Dr. Mehl, et al. for instilling in us a lifelong love of learning.”
In Liz’s April update, she commented on the Feb. online column. She said, “It is inspiring to read what everyone is doing. It is humbling to acknowledge that we made it through the 20th century to live into our 70’s, many of us now grandmothers. Love does make the world go ‘round, so it seems.”

Jody M. Watson says: “Peter and I just celebrated our 50th anniversary in November and we’re certainly looking forward to many more. We may downsize to eliminate some of the hassles of home-ownership, such as shoveling out from the blizzard we just experienced here on the Maine coast! We haven’t heard too many complaints about that kind of a move.
We do look forward to a Florida trip in early March.”

From Pam Roberts Welham: “Our planned Baltic cruise was cancelled for two reasons- one, Vladimir Putin and second, Walt was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Instead, we had a “radiation vacation” for two months in Jacksonville, Fl in July and August. Jacksonville has one of about twenty centers for proton-beam radiation therapy in our country. This is an extremely effective treatment for prostate cancer which has minimal side effects. We had two friends who had their treatment in JAX and recommended it highly. We had a great time- Walt chose to have the treatment every weekday morning leaving the rest of the day and weekends for sight-seeing in the area and visiting FL, GA and NC friends. JAX is a wonderful city with beautiful beaches and great restaurants. All in all, everything worked well for us. We are strong supporters of proton-beam treatment, which is becoming available for more and more types of cancer that need radiation treatment.” In a few days we leave on what Walt calls his “sayonara WestPac” cruise- Hong Kong to Beijing. We will travel with Navy friends of over 50 years!! My first trip to Japan was in 1964 when I met Walt’s submarine- I expect to see great changes!!!”
From Judi Ziobro: “Ed and I are healthy, enjoying our lives, and look forward to getting together with our friends whenever the opportunity presents itself. We are close (physical distance) to 5 of the 6 grandchildren (all 8 and under – so they still enjoy being with us), and that fills our “spare” time. I am still very active in music — vocal choir and handbell choirs at the church – various church committees (mostly dealing with $$), and sewing (of all kinds). I seem to have no lack of things to do. Ed, on the other hand, while he still dabbles in real estate, is pursuing perfection in retirement. Life is good!”
And now, from me, your class reporter, Sara (you can call me Sally) Zimmerman: I was diagnosed with a small breast cancer last fall, had a lumpectomy in October, and radiation therapy the first week in December: five days of radiation (“brachytherapy”), twice a day, very focused. Then later in December, when the last-minute opportunity came up to travel to St. John, V.I., and do three weeks of ministry there in January 2015, I jumped at the opportunity, and all worked out just fine. April update: More recently, I enjoyed lunch with Caroline Fischer Giles and Brian during their visit to nearby Tarpon Springs, FL; and spent a couple of days on Anna Maria Island with Doris Dalziel Kimball and George. Great dolphin and bird watching! My 2014 stage one breast cancer surgery and radiation are well behind me now, and I’m feeling well and grateful.
I share the interest that many of you express in other places, countries, and cultures. That reminds me: remember Heba Brynjolfs (Mrs. H. Heba Brynjolfs Wilde ’65) from Reykjavik, Iceland, who attended Hood in ’61 and ’62? She lived in England for many years but is now back in Reykjavik. We kept in touch for awhile, and Hood provided me with her current contact information, so that when my daughter Jenny and a friend visited Reykjavik last summer, Heba and her son met them for coffee.
I loved hearing from everyone and thank you. Sally Zimmerman, Tampa, FL revsaraz@aol.com

From Betty Appel Bailey: “Nothing has changed …. fortunately. All is well.”

From Jane Bollman: “Teaching art classes and taking art workshops, two book clubs, two bridge clubs, occasional R&R at our little one-room cabin in Tidewater Virginia, and some travel out of the country keeps me out of trouble.”

Marjorie Simmons Carlson: “Bill and I have reached a new family “milestone”: our granddaughter, Molly, junior at MD U in Elementary Ed, will be married July 11.***Our grandson, Christopher, Jr., will graduate from George Washington Law School in May.” signed “L.L.” (aka “Library Lady”)

Ann Holmes Flatt observes: “2014 was a wonderful year, filled with many happy family gatherings, several travel adventures and good health. Our three ‘kids’ are all well, engaged in various activities and trying to keep up with their kids, our 5 grandchildren! The oldest grandson, 20, is now a sophomore at William and Mary. Youngest grand twins are now 4 and we are lucky to have them living not far from here. We enjoy frequent times spent with our special needs daughter who lives in a nearby town. Our RV continues to bring us on amazing trips and adventures throughout the US. Having left it in AZ for the winter, we drove it home to MA travelling through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York and Connecticut - so many beautiful sites. We loved every mile!

Here winter is throwing us an impressive punch. With today’s latest storm we have a good five feet of while fluffy snow. (Ann’s update on 2/19/15: “We’re now up to 8 feet, 9 inches.”) We have been enjoying some wonderful skiing on our local Mount Wachusett Ski Area and cross country skiing and snow shoeing on many nearby trails. Tonight’s temps will plummet to below zero - a bit less fun! More snow is expected in the next few days with ‘significant accumulation’. So far I’m still loving it! At the end of Feb. we are travelling to Switzerland for 10 days to surprise JP’s brother on his 80th birthday. In late March we are going to Mexico with one of our grandsons, continuing our plan to take each grandchild on a trip when they reach 16. I am still singing with the Worcester Chorus now rehearsing Bach’s St John’s Passion for our next concert and also enjoy taking a painting class at the Worcester Art Museum.”

From Caroline Fischer Giles: “Other than surviving severe winter storms here in New Hampshire, we have been planning our trips for the year ahead. We are scheduled to go to Monterey, CA in March to visit our son and daughter-in-law Katy. This June we plan to be in Brazil (Sao Luis) visiting with another daughter-in-law’ s family and then in September, a house exchange with our cottage is planned for Normandy, France. We are fortunate to enjoy good health and try to stay in shape using the fitness center at UNH. I still love my work with the UNH Marine Docent Program and Brian continues his work with environmental issues at the state and local level. One of the greatest joys these past few years, has been our times with our grandchildren, Brenon (3 and 1/2) and Benjamin, (1and 1/2). As you might guess, we are the oldest grandparents of the youngest grandchildren, and we are thoroughly enjoying our roles as Nana and Grandpa.”

Sunny Griffin writes from Thailand: “Our year has been pretty wonderful with my oldest daughter, Kelly, getting married in a fabulous wedding at the home of a billionaire on the beach in Malibu in September. Kelly is a movie producer, she married an agent, and the wedding was a gift from the billionaire. It was like a Hollywood dream come true ….. followed immediately by a 2 week trip to China for my husband and me. The Chinese importer of my skin care line, Astara, invited us to Beijing and Shanghai to do PR for the product line and treated us like celebrities the entire time we were there. There are 300 million WEALTHY middle class people in China today, all potential customers for us, and the country is amazing and must be seen to be believed. A Chinese website, TMall (that carries Astara products as well as thousands of other brands) sells $1 BILLION A DAY!!!!! We will spend the rest of the winter in Thailand and return to Telluride sometime in May.”

Nancy Turner Heckscher observes: “Not much news here except I see Judy Hammond Blatchford as she and Park live next to us here in Berwyn. We did go to Hong Kong for Christmas to see our Grands and stay with step son, Chris and Evonne and my son Jon and Amanda and their 3 girls! Such fun and busy household with a 9 month Labradoodle!!!!”

Susan Shinnick Hossfeld says: “Carl and I are still traveling while we are able. Fall found us on a river cruise from Bucharest to Budapest and on to Vienna for three days. Late January 2015, we leave for Big Sky, Montana , winter in Yellowstone National Park and on the way home we are stopping off in San Francisco, Monterey and Carmel. We leave in March for Snowmass, Colorado with the children and grandchildren for a week of skiing. (Unfortunately, I had to give up skiing) In late July we leave for Scotland and London. Our summer plans include a trip to Rehoboth Beach with our extended family of twelve.”

From Doris Dalziel Kimball: “George and I drove out east last fall to French Canada by way of Cape Cod. The fall colors were exceptional all the way north. A trip of walking and hiking back and forth between Vermont and Canada provided by Road Scholar inspired the whole trip. We were headquartered in a wee town called Glen Sutton which is where wildly famous Canadian author Louise Penny wrote her first Inspector Gamache mysteries. Three Pines was fashioned after Glen Sutton. Some of my friends are actually jealous that we were seeing places that inspired the author Louise Penny.”

Penny M. Mardoian writes: “I spent a week in Budapest, Hungary at Thanksgiving. My life is going forward since my husband Art passed away. My oldest grandson, Michael, is at Trinity College in Hartford and so I get to see more of my PA family.”

Susan Auf Der Hyde Markscheffel responded to my remarks in an email about food in the Virgin Islands: “I enjoyed reading of your pleasure in roti!!! Made me hungry!!! I’m a “foreign” (?) food junkie and love Ethiopian, West Indian, Indian, and Middle Eastern foods. I’m fortunate to have a daughter and granddaughter who will enjoy it all, right along with me. (oink!)”

Janet Zwinck Morrison asks: “Remember sun bathing on the gym roof? We even used baby oil mixed with iodine to improve our tans. As a result I now call my skin color “age Spot.”

From Lynn MacDonough Morrow: “George and I returned Feb. 8 from a 2-week mission trip in Nicaragua. It was my 6th time to go; each year it gets better as I am building relationships with team members, the missionaries and especially with the local Nicaraguans. I practice my modest Spanish with the children and teens who know some English and we share a lot of laughs as we use body language and the little we know in each others’ language to communicate. One of the jobs I do each year is to help fill over 600 backpacks with school supplies, purchased on the local economy with funds donated by supporters in PA. The Nica. school year coincides with the calendar year so school resumes the first of February. We reward the local kids who earned good grades the previous school year with the supplies they need to start in their new grade. Public schools are so poor that the kids have to supply their own notebooks, pencils, etc. to copy what the teachers write on the black board because there aren’t text books for the children. Without supplies the children can’t go to school; the families in the community typically can’t afford to buy the spiral notebooks, pens, pencils, erasers, pencil sharpeners, rulers, etc they need, so our donations are not only a reward for past learning but also make it possible for the children to continue their education.”

From Barbara Arthur Pretzsch: “Bob worked in Utah last summer. I drove out alone but back with Lyn and the grandkids. We visited in the Ogden area then on the way home stopped at Bryce Canyon, Best Friends in Kanab, then Colorado to take the Silverton Durango train and then a stop at Pagosa Springs for a dip in their hot springs.

In July I took a trip to the Crochet Guild conference in Manchester, NH and took a few days before to travel up the coast with a friend and visited Teal West Hugo. I also visited with Gail WoodFortin, Marvia Slade Perreault and Linda Martin McManus the end of the summer at Fenwick Island, DE. We have been taking a trip together for quite a few years now.

My line dancing is one way I stay active. We had a nice cruise in November with other line dancers. We got a taste of what it was like on a rocking ship for the dancers who put on the evening shows we saw each evening. We learned a new line dance on the stage one afternoon.

Our 4 legged kid situation has changed. Patches, our Shih Tzu, was with Bob last summer. I decided to add another dog to the family: a little Chihuahua (with the name Patches) we named Little Patch. I was worried that Patches might not approve but they get along fine.

I wish anyone traveling along the Mississippi Gulf Coast on Interstate 10 would stop and say hi, or stay overnight with me. We are about equidistant between New Orleans, LA and Mobile, AL. Call me at 859-588-3911.”

Arden Reynolds echoes what most of you in New England are saying about January/February: “As I write this I’m looking out at more snow falling, after the two feet of snow a few days after the blizzard of 2015 here in Massachusetts. We are also knee deep in converting our screened in porch to a year round sunroom. It all started when we decided to switch from electric heat to gas heat, and from there it snowballed (another winter reference!) to a kitchen renovation and sunroom.”

Liz Decker Rogers in CA: On hearing my news that I was doing ministry in St. John, V.I. in January, Liz wrote: “I have fond memories of that island.”

From Barbara Stewart: “We are in constant battle with SNOW and the frigid cold here in Downeast Maine. In spite of it all we are still loving our life here. I have made up for lost time by taking up watercolors, rug hooking and quilting. I was not able to enjoy my crafts while working. Paul enjoys shoveling snow, weeding, mowing, and house painting.

We have been taking long road trips in the US and Canada. We will be heading for San Diego in June to celebrate another big birthday with my daughters and their families. At this point in our lives, all is good. You can’t ask for more than that!”

Liz Kovacs Dudley Washburn observes:“It’s hard to believe we’re approaching 75! Looking back, the “Cold War” loomed large. Now we have new dangers. I’ve been very fortunate to have lived in England, Kenya and Turkey as well as the East and West coasts of the USA. All of them were political “hot spots”. In all those places there was violence; criminal as well as terrorist. Yet what really stands out is the beauty, warmth and hospitality of each. Reading what other ’62 alums have done, I would say we are a well traveled group. All this traveling around and international connectedness is making the world a better place. We retirees are so blessed! We have time to graciously volunteer, be there for our families, “fill in the cracks’ as one friend put it. My husband and I are very involved in family life, our church, art: I paint, he makes furniture. We do charity work, travel, do animal care, reading and a movie group. Life is full! We live in Lake Oswego, Oregon, near Portland and would love to hear from fellow alums who may travel this way.

We are in a thought provoking study series at church, “Why Evil Exists”, video lectures by Prof. Charles Mathewes, PhD (Great Courses series). He surveys 3000 years of history, philosophy and theology. The course is immensely helpful in trying to understand the “evils’ that exist in today’s world as well as the past. So I give credit to our Liberal Arts education at Hood and our excellent professors, Dr. Mehl, et al. for instilling in us a lifelong love of learning.”

Jody M. Watson says: “Peter and I just celebrated our 50th anniversary in November and we’re certainly looking forward to many more. We may downsize to eliminate some of the hassles of home-ownership, such as shoveling out from the blizzard we just experienced here on the Maine coast! We haven’t heard too many complaints about that kind of a move.

We do look forward to a Florida trip in early March.”

From Pam Roberts Welham: “Our planned Baltic cruise was cancelled for two reasons- one, Vladimir Putin and second, Walt was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Instead, we had a “radiation vacation” for two months in Jacksonville, Fl in July and August. Jacksonville has one of about twenty centers for proton-beam radiation therapy in our country. This is an extremely effective treatment for prostate cancer which has minimal side effects. We had two friends who had their treatment in JAX and recommended it highly. We had a great time- Walt chose to have the treatment every weekday morning leaving the rest of the day and weekends for sight-seeing in the area and visiting FL, GA and NC friends. JAX is a wonderful city with beautiful beaches and great restaurants. All in all, everything worked well for us. We are strong supporters of proton-beam treatment, which is becoming available for more and more types of cancer that need radiation treatment.” In a few days we leave on what Walt calls his “sayonara WestPac” cruise- Hong Kong to Beijing. We will travel with Navy friends of over 50 years!! My first trip to Japan was in 1964 when I met Walt’s submarine- I expect to see great changes!!!”

From Judi Ziobro: “Ed and I are healthy, enjoying our lives, and look forward to getting together with our friends whenever the opportunity presents itself. We are close (physical distance) to 5 of the 6 grandchildren (all 8 and under – so they still enjoy being with us), and that fills our “spare” time. I am still very active in music — vocal choir and handbell choirs at the church – various church committees (mostly dealing with $$), and sewing (of all kinds). I seem to have no lack of things to do. Ed, on the other hand, while he still dabbles in real estate, is pursuing perfection in retirement. Life is good!”

And now, from me, your class correspondent, Sara (you can call me Sally) Zimmerman: I was diagnosed with a small breast cancer last fall, had a lumpectomy in October, and radiation therapy the first week in December: five days of radiation, twice a day, very focused. Then later in December, when the last-minute opportunity came up to travel to St. John, V.I., and do three weeks of ministry there in January 2015, I jumped at the opportunity, and all worked out just fine. I share the interest that many of you express in other places, countries, and cultures. That reminds me: remember Heba Brynjolfs (Mrs. H. Heba Brynjolfs Wilde ’65) from Reykjavik, Iceland, who attended Hood in ’61 and ’62? She lived in England for many years but is now back in Reykjavik. We kept in touch for awhile, and Hood provided me with her current contact information, so that when my daughter Jenny and a friend visited Reykjavik last summer, Heba and her son met them for coffee.

It has been a pleasure to hear from every one of you – 25 in all – thank you for taking the time. I begin alphabetically with five classmates who we haven’t heard from recently – like 40 years! Then I continue in mostly alphabetical order with the remaining 20 of us. Also included: an “In Memorium” entry for Marcia Powell Chapman.

Sue “Suki” Mercer Larmannlives in Chadds Ford, PA. She became a widow early in 2013 and says “The lawyers are still ‘working on it’. I swear it’s harder leaving this world than entering. I needed a crash course in finance 101! Doing OK. At this time, I am checking out long-term care places. It reminds me of looking at different colleges. My kids are not ‘around the corner’ and I think this would be a good solution. Besides, I love people and friends. Children: John in CT and Jamie in NJ. John has 3 children; the oldest will be a junior at the U. of Delaware. Jamie has two children 5 and 3. Big space because my two are 10 years apart.” She asked about Lynn Charlton Brown, Lynn Roach, Arden Moore, and Vonnie Brill and observes: “Seems like (we were at Hood) 100 years ago. I’m happy at my age now…really every age has been interesting.”

Ellie Schlough Lassiterwrites: “It has been years since I last contributed news to the Hood magazine. I have been living in Prescott, AZ since 2002, having moved here with my husband Richard from Boulder City, NV. I retired from working for the National Park Service in 1997. My husband and I enjoyed serving at Grand Teton National Park, Lowell Natl Historical Park and Lake Mead Natl. Recreation Area during a period of ten years. When we relocated to Prescott, my 4 year old grandson came with us and has been with us for 13 years; he is now a grown up 17 year old young man, the joy of my life. My other joy is singing soprano with the Yavapai College Master Chorale, our church choir and a local musical organization, the Prescott POPS. Aside from being a "mom" again, I enjoy gardening and seem to be constantly relandscaping our property and I do a little art work when the muse strikes. My email address is richardlassiter@cableone.net and I would welcome contacts from fellow Hoodlums.”

Susan Auf der Hyde Markscheffel says “I’m just doing what most of us are doing at our age: working at staying active and involved with family, friends, and community. Though I've been a California transplant for 19 years, I still am grateful for and relish the year around beauty of the Central Coast. Maybe that's because I spent 29 years living in Alaska! Year around gardening and other outdoor activities remain a great pleasure. Several years ago another woman and I developed a shop in our newly constructed library. Never having started a business or worked in retail, the project was a steep learning curve. I'm glad to report that the shop is thriving and providing needed revenue for the library. Lately I've been doing a weekly game afternoon with children of all ages who are living at our emergency homeless shelter. It's been an amazing experience, in many ways a real eye opener. I love having visitors….Santa Maria is an hour north of Santa Barbara. If any classmates are traveling on the coast, please call. Tel: 805-347-7428 Email: samark2@verizon.net

Kim Norfleet Scott: “I don’t think I have written to Hood for over 40 years or so. Over the years I have thought about the friends I made at Hood and have fond memories and would like to be in touch with Regina Schlank, Liz Kovacs and Sue Williams. My email address is kbscott1552@aol.com. I have a masters degree in personnel administration from Cornell University. I met my husband of 51 years there. We have five grown children: three girls, two boys, 16 grandchildren age 2 – 24. Our hobbies are boating and travel: we took our yacht to the Mediterranean in 2011 and by land and sea toured 16 countries in five months. We spend some time in Florida, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean in winter months on our yacht. We have a family owned business in Erie, PA. Now we have over 2,000 employees in PA and NY states. See us online at the Web site visitscott.com. It’s a hospitality business – we own hotels, restaurants and the largest indoor water park east of the Mississippi: Splash Lagoon Indoor Water Park. We bought a ski resort with two golf courses and put in a ropes course and ziplines this summer. I would love to be in touch with, or hear from, any of my classmates who pass by Erie, Pa. “

Margie Patterson Westergaard, my sophomore year roommate, who then went off to NYC and Columbia Presbyterian Hospital to study nursing, now lives in Lakewood, OH and writes that her life revolves around her children and grandchildren now that she’s retired.

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Betty Appel Bailey: “Tom (USNA-61) and I will be celebrating our 49th anniversary in July. After moving coast to coast for many years (Tom was in submarines for 28 years) we are now retired and living in north county San Diego and Palm Desert, CA. Prior to retirement I owned and operated a wealth management/financial planning firm in San Diego for 20+ years. We have one daughter and she and her husband and our 3 granddaughters live nearby in Carlsbad, CA. Since we have homes on two separate golf courses we spend some of our time golfing. In the past 5 years we have traveled for pleasure more than ever before but now we are about to complete a major remodel of one of our homes. We are both in good health for which we are grateful. My best to you all.”

Julie Shafer Barnshaw: Julie and Bob are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary this year with their family in Ocean City, NJ and Washington, DC.

Judy Hammond Blatchford: “Park and I continue to take advantage of retirement and good health by travelling. Recently we took our younger son and family to the Galapagos (as we did our older gang 9 years ago) and spent another week seeing the mountains of Ecuador. Volunteer opportunities and our home in the Adirondacks are our other involvements. We highly recommend traveling with Lindblad Expeditions/National Geographic (www.expeditions.com) for exciting destinations with delightful people, excellent ratio of naturalists to passengers, and unique support in developing your photographic skills with NG-trained staff. Last fall we took the Patagonia/Chilean Fijords trip, again another great experience.”

Ann Holmes Flatt: “Our past year has been filled with many happy events. In November ’13, JP and I drove our RV west, marveling at the beauty of our National Parks in Utah and Arizona, leaving our RV in Phoenix with friends for the winter. It was a winter with masses of snow and we enjoyed some great skiing. In December we celebrated our 50th anniversary in Cozumel, Mexico and enjoyed a brief respite from the blustery weather in Massachusetts. In March we retrieved the RV and returned by a southern route through AZ, NM, TX, AR, TN, WV, VA, MD, PA, NY and MA. In VA we stayed for a week with our daughter and family in Oakton. We all enjoyed some camping together near Gettysburg where we hiked, biked, rode horses through the battlefield and visited the wonderful museum there. Back in Massachusetts, we returned to the care of home and garden as well as our 2 days per week babysitting for our son’s 3 year old twins. During a week in June we enjoyed daily outings at a nearby state park in Sturbridge with our daughter Sylvie where we swam and kayaked. Now I write from VA where we are spending 10 days once again with daughter Carine and family. Our grandkids are very involved with their swim and dive programs and we are amazed at their impressive performances in several recent meets. In July/August we will have the pleasure of 15 yr old grandson Grant’s visit for 3 weeks. In September we have rented an old farmhouse in southern France for 2 weeks followed by a cruise from Athens to Istanbul.

I continue to sing with the Worcester Chorus, enjoy gardening, hiking up our Wachusett Mt. 3 mornings a week with a group of friends (I’m the oldest!) and participating in a local art group that meets weekly to draw or paint. Together JP and I enjoy times with our 3 children and 5 grandkids, travel, attending concerts, skiing, kayaking and living in our wonderful town which offers us so much. I keep in contact with Marty Turner Leonetti, Susan Collins Reidenbach, and Rusty Papst Houghland and always look forward to their annual visits. Wishing you all a wonderful continuation of this summer and of 2014 and hope that my path will cross with many of you.”

Carolyn Fischer Giles: “Brian and I have been in New Hampshire for more than 25 years now, and fully retired from the University of New Hampshire. We try to spend time at our cottage on Martha’s Vineyard and the rest of the time traveling or enjoying our two grandsons, Brenon and Benjamin.

During the last year or so, we used our cottage as an exchange and spent three weeks in the Sacramento area of California, touring local vineyards, circling Lake Tahoe and the gold mining area and biking around the American River. The year before found us doing an exchange with a couple from Avignon, France, where we enjoyed several weeks within the walled city and spent much of our time touring the hillside towns of the Provencal area. In late September we spent a week at Acadia National Park with a group of friends.

More recently we touched base with Floy Miller, ’60, who also has a home on the Vineyard. During our January stay at Joy Engle Demas and Bill’s villa in Tarpon Springs, we had lunch with Sally Zimmerman. It was great to see both Hood friends and share experiences and memories of Hood.

We are probably the oldest grandparents around. Our two grandsons are 2 and 1/2 and 9 months, so they keep us busy when we are visiting or caring for them.

During our ‘at home’ time in New Hampshire, I continue my involvement with the UNH Marine Docent Program and Brian serves on numerous environmental state and local committees. And… we celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary this September!”

Sunny Griffin: “My husband, Steven, and I spend winters at our home at a spa outside Chiang Mai, Thailand, and summers at our home in beautiful Telluride, Colorado. My oldest daughter, Kelly Wagner, has her own movie production company and specializes in horror films (horrors!!) and my younger daughter, Kerry Wagner, lives in NYC and travels the world as Anne Hathaway’s personal assistant. I had my 7th brain surgery in May (I have stents in 2 carotid arteries in the brain and coils in 2 aneurisms) and have been told all is doing very well and I don’t have to come back again. I am, and almost always have been, a “health nut” and my message is that it is so very important to live a healthy lifestyle if we want to have a long and healthy old age. I like to say “If you want to look good in your 70s and 80s, start young. It’s like saving for retirement.”

Susan Hossfeld: “In late April, Carl and I had a wonderful trip to Portugal, Northern Spain and the Pyrenees in Spain and France. We enjoyed Santiago de Compostela ( the end of the pilgrimage for the” Way of St. James” ), Pamplona (the Running of the Bulls town), Bilbao, (home of Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum), Carcassonne, Barcelona and many other interesting locations. We were fortunate to go with Jane and Roger Bollman, which made the trip even more fun!”

Rusty Papst Hougland (Knutson): “My husband and I are spending the summmer in CT, enjoying children and grandchildren’s visits. This fall we are looking forward to one more bucket list event….a Viking River Cruise to Spain and Portugal.”

Doris Dalziel Kimball: “Our health (George’s and mine) is still pretty good, so none of our favorite volunteer jobs or activities has changed. Two book clubs ensure that I read books I might never have tried and good critiques and discussions keep me going. Two grandsons are in college and our rising H.S. junior granddaughter is already taking several AP classes to get a jump on College. Eleven-year old granddaughter by Marian is incredibly imaginative and enjoying theater classes. One reason we stay in the upper mid west is to get together with family. We will all reunite in Spring Green, WI in July to see Much Ado About Nothing by the American Players Theater in the round, outdoors. It has become one of our traditions to see one Shakespeare play out in the woods each summer. Our other reason for staying here is the weather. Yes! We love the spring, summer and fall and congratulate each other for getting through our beautiful, daunting winters. Of course, by mid-March, we are as grumpy as everyone else and we start packing the car for a long visit to Anna Maria Island, FL. By the end of April, I am anxious to return to green, green lawns, blooming bushes and bulbs and wonderful spring birds and sounds. As always, we would be delighted to see any Hood sisters who happen to be way up here.”

Penny Misirian Mardoian: “It is with great sadness that I report that my beloved husband of 51 years, Art, passed away peacefully at our home on May 22nd. Even though he had short-term memory loss for the last 7 years, he remained active and aware until the very end. Our grandson, Michael, will be attending Trinity this fall-close to our New Canaan home. FYI: I’m doing OK considering. I leave for Michael’s graduation in PA on Monday and return to CT on June 15th. I’ll leave for our home in Maine on the 18th and stay there until Oct. 12. There will be a memorial in our local church in South Bristol, ME on Aug. 2 and one in New Canaan, CT on Nov. 1. As you well know, life moves forward and time heals. I am blessed to have a wonderful son, an amazing daughter-in-law and 3 grandchildren and the many friends who have been so supportive during the time that I have been Art’s caregiver. The fulfilling life that we shared will sustain me in the days ahead. I look forward to our next reunion when we can catch up again. Love, Penny.” Penny, we offer our condolences for this loss of Art, so dear to you. SZ

Phoebe Adams Marshall: “Al and I met Joan Terpak Plitt and John in Georgetown, SC, for lunch in June. They were in Myrtle Beach for a couple of weeks. We’re going out to Indiana in July to celebrate my sister’s 80th birthday – Shirley Adams Beheler, class of ’56. Ran into Tarun Comegys Johns, ’59, at my church a couple of weeks ago.”

Patricia “Pem” Merrill: Congratulations to Patricia – as announced in a press release from San Pedro Business Recognition, April 29, 2014: “Patricia Merrill Designs has been selected two years in a row for the 2014 Best of San Pedro Awards for Fine Art & Designs and now qualifies for the San Pedro Business Hall of Fame.” For details and more information please view Web site: 2014 Best of San Pedro Awards – Fine Art & Designs. http://sanpedro.censuit.net/sxmbnbf_PMD–PATRICIA-MERRILL-DESIGNS . Patricia “Pem” says, “I was surprised and honored by this award. At least 2014 is starting off on a good note for me. I am still working very hard in physical therapy to rehabilitate my left leg and hope from the break and surgery last Fall, I am walking almost normally. My Thanksgiving in 2013 was the best ever. It was the first time in so many years that I was with my whole family at one time. My son flew in from NYC and surprised me on Thanksgiving morning. I was at my daughter’s in Santa Clarita. So, I had that wonderful day with my kids and grandkids and lots of friends to make me very grateful. Not much else to report except that I enjoyed watching my son, Clarke, sing back-up for Sting at the Tony Awards. He recently sang in Carnegie Hall in a tribute to the composers of the music for ‘Hairspray’ and numerous other shows and films. He also had his own show at Birdland in NYC last August. Warm greetings to all the Hoodlums out there. I extend an open invitation to any and all who might be in higher Los Angeles area to contact me. I would love to see you. I wish you all a wonderful and healthy 2014.”

Lynn MacDonough Morrow: “Memorial Day weekend we went to NYC for Navy Fleet Week because the Navy Band Northeast, including George’s daughter and son-in-law, were playing in a lot of venues. When we weren’t attending their concerts, Meg and Dan joined us for sightseeing.

Despite the fact that I worked in NYC for 2 years (1962-64) and have been taking an annual 2-day bus trip to NYC with a ladies group in PA, over the Memorial Day weekend I did things I had never done before and had a wonderful time! We visited historical sites in Brooklyn where the Battle of Brooklyn took place in August, 1776. I had never been to Brooklyn before and was quite impressed with a charming residential neighborhood and the size and greenery of Prospect Park. We walked on a pedestrian track along the East River and crossed a pedestrian bridge to Randall’s Island which I had not even known existed. A friend of George’s family invited us to their mid-town apartment for wine and snacks and we all went to their apartment building roof-deck for a great view of the Empire State Building. Can you believe I took my first ride on the Staten Island Ferry and set foot for the first time on Staten Island? While there, we toured the USS Cole, in port for Fleet Week and open for free tours to the public. The whole weekend was a peak experience for me.

Travel, both abroad and local, punctuates my lucky life. After a cousin’s Oct. wedding in Heidelberg, George and I spent a week at the bride’s home in Belgium. George’s cousins were our personal guides for a wonderful week of sightseeing and hiking in the area. We took a “spring break road trip” in March which included visits to my cousins and George’s friends in PA, VA, SC and WV. Shorter and more frequent drives to Harrisburg (< 2 hrs from my State College, PA home) permit me to visit 3 of my grandsons. The other 2 grandsons come with their parents to my farm in PA for holidays. Of course, I enjoy the Grandma experience with all of those little boys (ages 2-10). More travel coming up: George and I will visit my brother in WI, George’s cousin in Jackson, WY, and George’s son in Denver over a 10-day trip in July.”

Marvia Slade Perreault: writes, “The biggest news is that Bill and I celebrated our 50th anniversary last Dec. 21 on a cruise to the Caribbean. Cruising seems to be in our blood — we love it!! We’re living in a retirement community in Salisbury, MD, where the only problem is that a bunch of really old people live here! Other important news is that we Four Fabulous Females (Bobbi Arthur Pretzsch, Gail Wood Fortin, Linda Martin McManus, and me) are having another reunion at Fenwick Island, DE, in September. We’re far away from each other physically, but together in spirit, where it really counts. We went back to Wisconsin this June to celebrate the high school graduations of our two 18 year old granddaughters. Bill really misses Wisconsin, even though everyone there kept telling him what a terrible winter they had. Oh well, here we have the Chesapeake Bay, crabs, and the ocean. What more could one want?”

Barbara Arthur Pretzsch: “Life in Mississippi has not been dull. The grandchildren have graduated to 1st and 3rd grade now. I spent the school year in many hours of after school transportation to Karate, baseball and basketball practices and games. In addition to their activities, I belong to a fitness club where I participate in line dance class, a Zumba Gold class, a Silver Sneakers class and a chair yoga class. I attend a crochet/knitting/tatting/beading group once a week and have just been invited to join a Red Hat group. I still help transport dogs to rescues and foster homes. Recently for the first time kept a Mama dog and her four puppies overnight. That was quite a noisy experience.

Bob returned from the Kentucky campground last fall to do some minor repairs on one of our properties to put it up for sale and it has since sold. Otherwise he did some fishing and brought home some yummy dinners. He made two trips to Kentucky, first to renovate our studio apartment to rent, (in addition to our main apartment,) and to start the contractor on the second business on the first floor. In addition to the Commonwealth Attorney’s office, we will now have the Juvenile Justice Department next door.

Since Bob was signed up for a campground in Utah he was on his way in early May. I will drive out in a few days to spend a month or so with him. Lyn and the grandkids will fly out early July and she and I with the kids will come back to Mississippi, just in time for me to fly to the north east for my annual crochet conference. I am meeting a friend and we will tour up the Maine coast and expect to visit Teal West Hugo while there. Then we end in Manchester, NH for the crochet conference.

My Hood roommates and I will reunite at Fenwick Island in September this year for our annual ‘trip’. I tried to get them to go on a cruise out of New Orleans with my line dancing crew in November but that didn’t work out.”

Regina Schlank Pyle: “I'm spending July and August at my house in France just north of Cannes and this will be my last summer as its time to leave after 14 years. It's been wonderful to keep Tom's dream alive and enjoy what we created and now I need to make time for other travels and now France is in great flux and much angst about its political future.

I continue to be very involved in community affairs and as of July lst serve as Chair of my neighborhood association which represents about 5,000 residents with the goal of maintaining and improving our South End Boston Neighborhood. Also serve as Sec'y on my Condo Board.

Time speeds by at an alarming pace in which little seems to get done. I remember the days when I ran two homes, worked a 40 hour + week, supported Tom as his career took off, sewed most of my clothes, got dinner on the table and gave dinner parties! Those were the days or were they?”

Barb Kirby Stewart: “Paul and I have dedicated this summer to volunteering for two organizations- Schoodic Arts for All which is active all winter but does an arts festival the first two weeks in August. We are also really involved with the Schoodic International Sculpture Symposium which is dedicated to public art in Downeast Maine. We have seven sculptors coming for the Symposium which is held this year also in August. Next year we are going to travel again!
My grandchildren are growing up fast. My youngest grandchild, Sophia, is 13. Her brother has just flown to Panama as an exchange student for a month then on to Costa Rica for some volunteer work. All is well with all. We are going to DC on Tuesday for a week of museum hopping and visiting. Not exciting but lots of fun. I hope our lives stay this way. Jan Zwinck Morrison and I get together because she and Steve spend their summer in Milbridge, 18 miles from us. We invite anyone who would like visit us on the coast of Maine. We are near Bar Harbor-a beautiful area.”

Jody Merritt Watson: “Peter and I continue to volunteer for Habitat, Maine Maritime Museum, and a drop-in center for the homeless here in Brunswick. Our kids and grands live in Portland so we’re lucky to be able to get together at our family camp on a lake near Sebago Lake, with relative ease. We consider ourselves fortunate to be in good health and are looking forward to a visit from Liz and Bill Rogers later this summer. Also Beth Pauley and her friend Jane Ann Bell in September!”

Betty Wright: In June, Betty Wright and Jack Raun hosted a "mini-reunion" at their home near Hedgesville, WV. Betty writes: “Guests were Judy Bailey Allison and Tom, Judy Jensen Burgess and Gordon, Judi Simonsen Ziobro and Ed, and Teal West Hugo. Jack took any and all interested guests for a plane ride in his RV 6. The Judys brought lots of foodstuffs, and we all enjoyed wine, cheese, and much laughter for three days. One evening was spent at dinner in South Mountain Inn, where one of our '62 class reunion dinners was enjoyed some years ago. This reunion has become a yearly event.”

Sara “Sally” ZimmermanNewly retired from full-time parish ministry, I finally had time to complete the video that is part of an adult liberal religious education curriculum (“Spirituality, Science and Healing”) I’ve been working on for several years. Now I work out at the Y, hang out at the nearby Hillsborough County New Tampa library, and enjoy more time on my lanai next to the pond, watching the Florida ibis, cranes, anhingas, turtles, fish, and occasional alligator.

In Memorium: Marcia Powell Chapman passed away in January. She served in the mental health field, as a private elder care companion and as a reading teacher in Chapel Hill, NC schools. She had earned an M.Ed in Counseling Psychology from Temple University in Philadelphia. The obit in the News and Observer, Chapel Hill, Jan. 28-Feb.2, 2014 also notes that Marcia “maintained numerous loving friendships from her early years through college and work in San Francisco, Philadelphia, New Jersey and North Carolina. So many lives were touched by Marcia, in private practice as well as executive roles in the mental health and substance abuse field. May you forever rest in peace, our dear sweet Marcia.”

Jane Hoskins Bollman and Roger enjoyed a fall cruise down the Rhine that included Heidelberg, “a delightful town––so many quaint, clean and tidy towns.” Candee Mack Westdorp and Wolfgang visited his sisters and aunt in Germany. Rusty Papst Hougland reported, “Bill and I have now enjoyed 18 fun filled months as residents of a 55-plus active adult community. We are still close enough to our offspring to enjoy seeing them frequently. This summer we had a wonderful visit at the home of Ann Holmes Flatt and her husband JP.” JP Flatt celebrated his 80th birthday with 60 relatives and friends partying in the village of St. Luc in Val d’Anniviers, Switzerland. At home, Ann and JP care for son Greg’s 3-year-old twins twice a week; they visited daughter Carine and family at the start of a trip west in their RV. Regina Schlank Pyle spent six weeks at her home in France. She is a Trustee for her Boston condo association and on the leadership board of MIT’s McGovern Institute for Brain Research. Regina, Jody Merritt Watson and Ethel Kintigh Spence had a mini-reunion in Boston. Regina keeps in touch with Liz Decker Rogers, half-sister of Liz Kovacs Washburn, and little sister Sandy Borrelli. Penny Misirian Mardoian had a wonderful trip to Russia, “Moscow was a complete surprise. It has become a modern city and very capitalistic. The citizens seem quite happy. Art spent 11 days in our local Maine hospital with walking pneumonia. At 86, it will take him a long time to recover,” said Penny. Phoebe Adams Marshall and Al celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in Hendersonville, N.C., along with a surprise visit (arranged by Al) from their son and his two boys. Phoebe keeps busy playing tennis and Al still officiates tennis. Bobbi Arthur Pretzsch’s husband Bob worked in Kentucky this summer and Bobbi helped daughter Lyn with the grandchildren in Mississippi. Everyone visited son Rob and family in Kentucky; Bobbi later drove to Indianapolis for her annual crochet conference, attended a niece’s Florida wedding and visited an Army buddy who was “in our wedding party in 1964.” Arden Moore Reynolds and Gerry spent the Fourth of July weekend visiting family in Maryland and visited the Hood campus, which Arden had not seen in 50 years. They were amazed by the changes and the many new buildings, but glad to see that the pergola with its beautiful wisteria vines had not changed. Pam Roberts Welham found new relationships and pleasures reconnecting with classmates. She and Walt met Janet MacDougall and Betsy George Ohnegian in New York City for drinks and dinner and the four went to a Tiffany glass exhibit and lunch. Janet and Betsy visited the Welhams in Virginia in October and went to the Smithsonian museums. When the government shut down, they visited the Newseum. A JFK exhibit reminded them of his visit to Hood. Susan Rugemer Kurtz loves being grandmother to daughter Betsy’s 10-year-old Kayla and 4-year-old Nicholas. She moved from her home of 46-years into a Baltimore retirement community where she has been visited by Jane Hoskins Bollman and Susan Shinnick Hossfeld. Judi Simonsen Ziobro reported a mini-reunion with Betty Wright, Judy Bailey Allison, Judy Jensen Burgess and their “other-halves” in June. Judi’s “notable” activity this summer is on YouTube. She and 541 of “my closest bell ringing friends” played the National Anthem at the Nationals ball game on August 28. See it at http://youtu.be/JSIOHVIGkto. Teal West Hugo and Mike sang two concerts with a chorus comprised of clients, caregivers and volunteers at the memory loss respite center. Fun to sing together again! Teal said if musicians are looking for a volunteer opportunity, please consider contacting a retirement home or a memory loss program. Pem Merrill tripped in September and broke her left hip. Surgery put the hip and femur back together with a pin. Two weeks in a hospital and physical therapy at home have her trying to be able to walk. Pem, we wish you a full recovery. Debbie Patterson Clark’s daughter Amy was named head coach for Aquatics for the U.S. National Special Olympic Team representing North Carolina. Amy will work with four swimmers, coaches, families and local coordinators to prepare them to GO for GOLD in June. Our 50th reunion scholarship funds provided a Class of 1962 Endowed Scholarship to a Class of 2017 (wow) student. My heartfelt thanks to Joy Demas Engle for again editing the class news while I was traveling overseas and to Sally Zimmerman, newly retired, for agreeing to apply her writing skills to becoming the class news reporter for the next issue.

Giving to Hood

Contributions to Hood help us fulfill our commitment to preparing students for lives of responsibility, leadership and service. As an institution founded upon philanthropy, our heritage of benevolence is one of Hood’s most important and enduring traditions.